Murder At The Manor: A Family Christmas
by Galfridus
Summary: It's Christmas and three brothers visit their father for the holidays, with a couple of fiancées in tow. Already in residence are a secretary and a pair of crooks who are up to no good. The horrid old man ends up dead. Can Inspector Merlin solve the case? This murder mystery is based on a number of Agatha Christie novels. Cover Art by Lickitysplit (maybeishouldwait on Tumblr).
1. Home For The Holidays

Summary: It's Christmas and three brothers visit their father for the holidays, with a couple of fiancées in tow. Already in residence are a secretary and a pair of crooks who are up to no good. The horrid old man ends up dead. Can Inspector Merlin solve the case? This murder mystery is based on a number of Agatha Christie novels.

A/N Hi everyone. Merry Christmas! This piece is intended to be a bit of light-hearted fun for the holidays. Please accept my present to the NNT fandom. As a newcomer, I've been really touched at how welcoming you've been, and this is by way of thanks.

This story is based on three Agatha Christie books. I'll say which ones at the end so as not to give away the solution. Please do let me know what you think of this - all feedback welcome.

Beta read by the amazing Lickitysplit, who is not only a wonderful author but also really insightful and great to work with. This story is so much better for her patient comments and suggestions. Any errors and bits that you dislike are obviously my own. She also created the cover art which is amazing. Check out more of her work here and on Tumblr ( maybeishouldwait).

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Home For The Holidays**

The bare, frost covered branches flew by at a rush, whipping the car angrily as it shot along the narrow lanes of the Lancashire countryside. The brash, scarlet paint of the vehicle stood out dramatically from the muted greens and browns of the landscape as it snaked along the winding roads towards the huge manor house, the historic home of the aristocrats who presided over the village of Little Brambleton. Years ago, the house had been bought by a retired businessman, a recluse of unknown origin with a vile countenance and a temper to match. A few of the villagers had extended the usual welcome, but had been unceremoniously rebuffed. Now, no one tried. The horrible man was left alone by all and sundry to stew in his own massive property.

But the purchase had not been a complete bust for the village. The reviled gentleman had brought a secretary with him, a slight, soft spoken youngster who was single-handedly keeping the small village library in operation. He volunteered all his spare time to organising the shelves and had created a small children's section to try and attract more young families into the warm, book-filled interior. These efforts had been entirely successful, and the library, which had been on the point of closure, was now the centre of life for the dwindling number of children who still called the village home. The gratitude felt towards Gowther from the folk who lived there was sincere and bountiful.

The villagers were also completely enamoured of the Manor owner's three sons, who sadly only rarely visited their father. When they did come however, they were each careful to pay their respects to their neighbours, and without fail bought a round for everyone present in the Dog and Duck, the dilapidated pub which sat at the centre of the village. The place had seen better days; the roof leaked, the carpets were muted and sticky and the toilets were an absolute horror. It was however the only watering place for miles around and the quality ale and the cheerful bartender more than made up for its deficiencies.

When the boys came to visit they were each the veritable life and soul of the party. Almost every unattached woman, and some of the married ones too, flocked to the pub whenever any of the boys were to be found there. They were all ridiculously handsome, some might even say beautiful. Indeed, rumour of the engagement of the eldest and youngest brothers to eligible partners had caused significant distress among the female population, and a few of the men were dischuffed too. Still, the word on the grapevine was that both of the ladies in question would be visiting for the holidays, and the curious villagers were eager for a glimpse of them.

"Um... Meliodas... is this a bit...fast?" Elizabeth murmured, her face pale and clammy as she clung onto the seat for dear life. The bright red car continued apace, bolting along the road at a terrifying rate as the blonde driver pressed his foot mercilessly on the gas pedal.

"What? Oh, sorry Elizabeth," Meliodas said sheepishly as he slowed the car to somewhere nearer the speed limit. He glanced over at his fiancée, his head swimming with delight as he permitted himself to think of her this way. He had only proposed a few weeks ago and still could not believe she had said yes. She was so beautiful, he thought, as his eyes snapped forwards and he gazed wantonly at the reflection of the woman sitting beside him in the rear view mirror, which he had angled specifically for the purpose. Warm contentment trickled through him at the sight of her sparkling sapphire eyes, her porcelain cheeks and her bountiful chest, which was pushed out slightly as she played with the buttons on her blouse. He could not wait to show her off. His brothers would both be incredibly jealous.

"What's your father like? You never really talk about him," Elizabeth said softly, smiling sweetly at Meliodas as he appeared to concentrate on the road. She was rather nervous at the prospect of meeting his family and hoped to make a good first impression. Between that, and the way the car was still swerving dramatically, Elizabeth did not notice the way Meliodas' jaw clenched slightly and his striking green eyes narrowed to slits in response to her question.

"He won't like you but don't worry, okay? He doesn't like anyone much," Meliodas replied lightly, his hand drifting over from the gearbox to caress Elizabeth's thigh. "I love you and that's what matters."

"But... um... why wouldn't he like me?" Elizabeth asked, her eyes trailing down to regard Meliodas' hand as he traced circular patterns on her skin, the pleasant feeling failing to distract her from her thoughts. The idea of rejection from anyone, particularly someone she had not even met and the father of the man she loved so dearly, caused her much consternation. She was unfailingly polite, gentle and courteous, her manner deliberately cultivated to ensure she would get a favourable reaction.

"He's vile, you see, or at least I think he is," Meliodas said cheerfully as he continued his ministrations, smirking as he felt Elizabeth shift her body to accommodate his touch. He felt his own need for her growing as she leaned back in the seat and he let himself stare at her bountiful chest and the silver hair falling like silk all around her. He revved the car back into a higher gear as the vehicle's speed picked up, this time without protest from Elizabeth. He had moved his hand up her thigh when he replaced it after the gear change and, to his great satisfaction, her eyes stayed closed in ecstasy as his hand finally reached the centre of its destination.

Meliodas wished that he did not have to go to the Manor at all. He hated his father and was well aware that the feeling was mutual. Even his brothers, who he had loved fiercely and protectively for all of their childhoods, were now on difficult terms with him, no doubt as a result of his father's cruel lies. He missed his brothers, and hoped that this holiday visit would help put them all back on a friendlier footing. It was Christmas after all.

* * *

"How are you feeling?" Gelda asked softly as she looked over at Zeldris, his eyes set with a cold anger as he carefully watched the winding road. His face was stoic and unmoving, but Gelda could feel the rage simmering beneath. She wanted to reach out and run her fingers over his cheek, behind his ear and into the dark spikes of his hair but she knew that he would not thank her for this. The last thing her fiancé would want when driving was any distraction from his surroundings.

Zeldris glared at the single track lane, watching carefully for potholes or any sign of black ice. He steered his dark blue car carefully along the narrow, twisting lane, making sure not to scratch the pristine paintwork on the frozen branches which so inconsiderately stuck out into the road. Gelda's question, however, made him tense up in surprise. It was hard to adjust to the fact that someone was genuinely interested in his answer to that particular query. But he knew her now, enough to be sure that she was interested in him as a person and not just drawn to his budding celebrity.

"Annoyed." Zeldris sighed as he continued look straight ahead, resisting the urge to turn and drink in the face of the beautiful woman sitting next to him. She was so statuesque, sublime, perfect even and without thinking Zeldris gave in, permitting himself to take a quick sideways look at Gelda, a fierce pride rising in his chest as he saw her neat, golden braid, the regal point to her chin and the way she was examining him so lovingly, as if he were the only man in the world. His heart skipped a beat at the alluring sight. She was truly remarkable, and she was irrefutably his.

"I do not want to subject you to the unpleasantness which will inevitably accompany our visit. My father can be difficult and my brothers are pathetic, but they will show you the respect you deserve if they knows what's good for them." Zeldris clenched the steering wheel as he said this, his knuckles turning white with the pressure, trying not to think about what he would do if any of his family dared to upset his fiancée.

"Do we have to go to them then? I'd much rather spend Christmas with you, on our own," Gelda pleaded. She gazed longingly at Zeldris, her lips pressing together at the thought of sharing him. Their engagement so far had been bliss, which had come to an abrupt end with the invitation to the manor. Zeldris felt a shot of heat flood up his spine in response to her words, the thought of squirrelling Gelda away somewhere for the holidays causing his stomach to do little somersaults.

"Gowther was quite insistent. He practically begged me to come and he doesn't ask for that sort of cooperation without good reason."

In an attempt to examine the position from a rational perspective, Zeldris forced his emotions away, making himself try and understand what was going on. Why could Gowther possibly want him to visit so badly? He had pressed and cajoled, coming perilously close to begging Gowther to tell him what was so important, but the young man had merely deflected his questions with that flat tone of his, just repeating that it was in his best interest to come without delay.

"It's not too much further," Zeldris said comfortingly. "We will be rid of them soon."

Zeldris caught sight of a bright red car zipping along the twisted track in the distance and sighed to himself. Meliodas never did pay any heed to road safety, or any other type of safety for that matter. He was not sure who was worse, Meliodas and his unconscionable recklessness or Estarossa and his infuriating lassitude. He did know that he didn't want to spend time with either of the spongers. Ten to one they'd tap his father up for money the moment they saw him, and perhaps try him next when they were unsuccessful. No wonder the poor man was so cross all the time. The very idea of his brothers' crude begging was making his fingers twitch with irritation.

* * *

"Now, what's all this about?" Estarossa growled at Gowther as he slipped into the car. His father's secretary had driven to the station to save him the long walk up to the Manor. Gowther looked at him without smiling, pushing his glasses more firmly onto his nose as he stowed the book he was reading in the glove compartment.

"I will tell you later. Your brothers are on their way home and you should all hear the information together," Gowther intoned as he started the car. Estarossa rolled his eyes in frustration but knew better than to press the point. Gowther was nothing if not frustratingly stubborn.

"I saw that your latest work has been sold. Was it enough to get you out of difficulty?" Gowther enquired, his eyes on the road as they moved smoothly along the narrow country lanes. Estarossa clenched his teeth in response, wishing he could relieve his feelings by punching something hard, but resisting the urge with difficulty. It would be a drag to have to walk the rest of the way because either Gowther or the car could not continue the journey.

"No. Not even close. I was robbed," he snarled, staring hard at Gowther in an effort to intimidate him. The attempt did not have the desired effect. Gowther stared at the road, perfectly oblivious to the storm of emotions he had conjured in the man sitting next to him.

"The buyer would only pay half of what I asked, said I wasn't well known enough to command higher prices," Estarossa continued bitterly. "I asked father for help. You know what he said? He told me to give up my art, and go back to the City. He doesn't give a crap that I hated it, that it was killing me slowly."

"He has discussed the subject with me. He believes that sculpture has little value."

"Well, he's wrong. I'll make my money when I've built my reputation. Though that will be impossible if the bailiffs take all my materials away."

A few moments later, the car scrunched over gravel as Gowther pulled into the driveway, having to lurch quickly to the side so as to avoid the speeding red flash which shot up behind. Meliodas caught sight of Estarossa as he whizzed past and gave his brother a cheerful wave.

Estarossa sighed. One of his bosses had once said that people who smiled too much were either completely devoid of emotional intelligence, or lacked the basic understanding needed to know how much shit they were in; as usual, Meliodas was wearing that grin which made him look like an imbecile. The quote rose to the front of Estarossa's mind as he gazed at his brother, who was likely as desperate for cash as himself.

As Gowther parked the car in the garage, Estarossa heard the approach of another vehicle and was not surprised to see his younger brother pulling up in his dark blue BMW. Zeldris had done well for himself, Estarossa considered. His thoughts crystallised along these lines when he saw Zeldris open the passenger door and an absolute beauty rise to stand at his side. So this was the fiancée. Estarossa held his breath as he looked at her, his astonishment only growing when he saw Meliodas join them with yet another vision of loveliness on his arm. How had they both managed this sort of coup?

"What's all this about, Gowther?" Zeldris called as the young man stepped forward. Gelda stood still, her posture perfect and her head held high, determined to show her future relatives what good breeding looked like.

"Oh, did you ask him to come?" Meliodas queried as he looked over at Gowther. "That explains why you're here, Zeldris. You can't want money, after all." Meliodas grinned mischievously, noting his brother's scowl with amusement.

Before Meliodas could ask after the beauty he had arrived with, Zeldris snapped, "No, I do not, and nor should you. Father gives you an allowance does he not? That's more than he does for me. You would do well to get a proper job and stop leeching off him." Zeldris' dark eyes flashed with irritation as he looked Meliodas over. "You could stop buying such expensive clothes for a start, given you are allegedly so hard up."

Gowther unlocked the front door as they spoke and directed the group into the house as they continued to squabble. "Hey, I need to look like this, alright. How else d'you think I'm going to attract potential investors?" Meliodas protested as they reached the hall, his eyes still soft with good humour despite the barbed remarks. Elizabeth gasped as she took in the luxury of the Manor, wondering how much the marble floor tiles had cost.

"Fair enough. At least you do look presentable, unlike some I could mention." Zeldris smirked as he ran his eyes slowly up and down Estarossa who, in true bohemian fashion, was wearing garments which it would be fair to say had seen better days. A mustard coloured coat adorned his long frame, the only thing the charity shop he had been forced to rummage through to find winter apparel had stocked in his size.

Estarossa growled as he returned Zeldris' stare, pulling the offensive garment off and slamming it onto the antique coat rack, as the others also removed their winter garb. "Meliodas, we need to talk. Let's go! This is not something Mr Perfect needs to be in on."

"Come on, guys, we need to stop this," Meliodas said with a smile, Elizabeth's gentle hand on his shoulder enough to help him maintain his good humour. "You have a point, Zeldris. I'm not doing as well as you, but I hope to one day when my bar takes off. I've got planning permission now, so it won't be too much longer. And Estarossa, you're wearing some pretty weird stuff, but you look great as usual. And we're being rude, we haven't even done the introductions yet! Elizabeth this is..."

"I am sorry to interrupt but this is important. That can wait until later. Please follow me now," Gowther pressed as he looked steadily at the many eyes fixed on him, nodding when he saw from the various expressions that he would have his way. He led the five young people through the wood panelled entrance, up the leftmost of the twin staircases and along a cream carpeted corridor. After a few moments, Gowther stopped outside a door, unlocking it before ushering the group inside. Once in the secretary's office, the door was closed and quickly locked.

Startled at the turn of events, Elizabeth had gaped in awe as she travelled through the house. She knew her future father-in-law was fixed well for money but the extent of the grandeur had come as a surprise. Everything was expensive, from the oil paintings on the walls to the polished, Art Deco furniture which dotted the hallways. This office however was more familiar. The desk and bookshelves were of the cheap, flat-packed variety and the filing cabinet was flimsy and grey. The desk itself was neat and ordered, small piles of paper lined up with precision and organised into plastic trays.

"Your father has two guests with him at the moment and I do not want them to overhear us. I am concerned about them," Gowther said bluntly, his expression hidden behind the reflection of his large glasses. "I have reason to believe they are taking your inheritance."

"Shit! Why on earth didn't you say so sooner!" Estarossa yelled, glaring at Gowther as he clenched his fists. "Who the hell are they?"

"Their names are Derieri and Monspeet, or that is what they claim. They came to the Manor six days ago after their car broke down. Since then they have remained and your father has given them money on at least two occasions. A million pounds of it, I estimate."

"That's odd. Why's he done that?" Meliodas asked calmly, working to keep the surprise out of his tone. His father was not known for being free with his cash. Elizabeth caught his eye and he knew she too was thinking about The Boar Hat and the money they needed so badly to build it. That was why they had come to see his father, although Meliodas had to admit his hopes were not high.

"They are mining for diamonds in South Africa and have offered your father a share of their gains," Gowther explained, his eyes hidden behind the reflection of his glasses.

"Ah, I guess that makes sense. He would swallow that kind of guff given he made his dough selling the things," Estarossa snorted derisively.

"Wait. I agree this looks serious but are we absolutely sure these diamond mines are fraudulent? If this business venture is genuine it could be a perfectly sound investment," Zeldris argued. "What do you think, Gelda?"

Before Gelda could answer, Estarossa interrupted, "How can it be real, you idiot? This is the twenty-first century. What are the odds of there being random, unexploited diamond mines, and that the two people who own them just happen to show up here?" Zeldris snarled angrily and rounded on Estarossa, preparing to strike, until Gelda placed a warning hand on his shoulder. With some astonishment, Meliodas could see Zeldris visibly relaxed at her touch, although this youngest brother continued to glower at Estarossa, a promise of future payback for any further transgressions.

"I do not trust them," Gowther said carefully as he flicked a small piece of fluff from his sleeve. "But your father is excited and he appears to enjoy the visitors' company."

"So, what d'you think we should do?" Meliodas asked, his eyes solemn for once as he questioned Gowther. "You know him better than us. How do we bring him round?"

"If you believe your father is being misled then surely you should report it to the police," Gelda said serenely, Zeldris nodding earnestly in agreement. "That would seem to be the most logical approach to me," she added with finality.

"No, I've got a better plan," Meliodas declared, moving his arm more securely around Elizabeth, who was feeling rather nervous judging from the way she was playing with her earing. She was trembling slightly, but she calmed as he held her close to him, much to his satisfaction. "I don't think the police will take any notice of us at the moment. Our father's not liked round here. We'll need some proof first, then they'll have to do something."

"I can see your argument," Zeldris said, and Meliodas and Estarossa shared a quick look of incredulity at this unexpected tone. Since when had Zeldris listened to reason? "I am comfortable conducting some initial investigations of our own. Gowther, where are the two people in question likely to be at this hour?"

"In your father's rooms. They spend a lot of time there," Gowther replied, moving towards his desk and flicking through some paperwork. "I suggest you take this to him. He is expecting it and it needs his signature."

"You go on Zeldris. You're the favourite," Estarossa said, smirking in response to his brother's cold stare.

"I will be happy to oblige and I do not need any pretext to go and see my own father. He asked me to come to him," Zeldris said, shooting his brother a look of triumph. "He would like to meet you, Gelda."

Quick as a flash, Zeldris unlocked the door and held it open, gently laying his hand on the small of Gelda's back as she gracefully moved forward and they drifted out of sight.

"So, are you going to introduce us?" The apparently innocent question was directed at Meliodas but Estarossa's eyes were fixed on Elizabeth and her full pink lips. The detailed scrutiny did not go unnoticed, and Meliodas moved closer towards this fiancée, pressing her even more tightly against his side.

"Elizabeth, this is my brother Estarossa. And this is Gowther. He's my father's secretary but he's a real part of the family. We grew up together, and... we're good friends."

A sigh of relief escaped from Meliodas. He had nearly said that he and Gowther were like brothers themselves. Gowther had been taken in by his father when he was just eighteen years old, and he had no family he could call his own. Given their closeness in age and mutual dislike of the man who ruled their lives, he and Meliodas had quickly bonded and their strong friendship was not a secret. But nonetheless the unspoken sentence would have caused Estarossa to sulk; he had always been jealous.

"I... I'm pleased to meet you, I've heard so much about you both," Elizabeth stuttered slightly, letting her shy smile light up the room. Gowther bowed and Estarossa made himself shake Elizabeth's hand. That was not his instinctive reaction but one look at Meliodas' stormy expression was enough of a warning to make him play it safe.

"So how'd you two meet?" Estarossa enquired as he ran his fingers through his silver hair, further disturbing the already messy mop. Whatever part of the world Meliodas had found this girl in was one he should try to visit more often.

"I... um... it was an interview actually. Meliodas was looking for waitresses. I've just finished my degree in interior design and needed some work. I was a bit nervous, but I thought I could try it."

Recalling the so-called interview at the mid-market chain restaurant Meliodas managed, Elizabeth could not prevent herself from blushing slightly. The lengthy chat had not covered much about her professional experience, which was as well as she had very little. She was in fact a terrible waitress, having been quickly let go when she had tried similar work in the past. But Meliodas was a great manager, and with his help she had improved her technique. They had grown ever closer until it finally got to the point when Meliodas had to fire her to prevent them both falling foul of the rule that employees could not date other staff.

"Come on, I'll show you around. Give me that, Gowther," Meliodas commanded as he held his hand out for the paper Zeldris had rejected. "I'll go see him later."

"Not without me you won't. We both need the same thing, and if he's going to say yes he'll only say it once," Estarossa warned.

"Fine. Tag along," Meliodas said brightly, as he ushered the pair out of the door, inwardly annoyed at his brother's persistence. Their father was bound to refuse his request if Estarossa's pleas were involved. He would just have to sneak his ask in first.

* * *

"They are insufferable!" Zeldris fumed as he stormed through the corridors towards his father's rooms. Not even the feel of Gelda's cool, smooth hand in his could keep his rapidly building temper in check. The feel of her fingers weaving into his hair however made him stop short, and he closed his eyes to concentrate on the sensation. When her soft lips met his own, the last of the bubbling anger dissipated and he returned her kiss in earnest, running his hand over her shoulder to ground himself in reality.

"What was that for?" Zeldris asked softly as they broke apart and he looked closely at Gelda's peaceful expression.

"I've been wanting to do that for hours," Gelda said softly as she held his hand tightly, a flash of triumph firing through her as she saw Zeldris visibly calm as a result of her actions. He was so fierce and proud, and she still felt elated that he allowed her this degree of control over his emotions. Zeldris returned the pressure, rubbing the pad of his thumb over her skin as they set off once more, travelling at a more leisurely pace as they leaned into each other. After a few moments, they arrived at their destination and Zeldris rapped on the door sharply, pulling Gelda inside with him in response to the summons.

The interior of the room was surprisingly dark. The windows were shrouded in thick blackout curtains and the room was illuminated poorly by a few standing lamps positioned around the large, dingy space. Heart thumping in trepidation, Gelda swept her eyes over the room, and was immediately struck by the figure of a woman sprawled lewdly over a chaise longue, her legs sticking out wantonly, drawing attention to her lithe, toned physique. A tall man stood behind her, his pencil moustache quivering slightly as he returned Gelda's stare, his haughty face showing what little he thought of her.

It was some time before Gelda could tear her eyes away from the pair to examine the wizened old man sitting on a massive ornate chair in the very centre of the room. When she did, a chill ran up her spine. His unkempt beard and lank, greasy black hair framed his cruel face, which seemed to be melting with age. The sight made a shiver travel up the very top of her spine and she could feel every hair on her arms stand to attention. He looked absolutely repulsive.

"Thank you for inviting us to come and see you," Zeldris murmured politely as he stepped into the room, feeling a stab of concern as he saw his father's eyes fixed not on him but squarely on his fiancée, who was standing slightly behind. There was no reason in the world the old man should think ill of Gelda, but he was somewhat unpredictable. It was with relief therefore that Zeldris watched his father's face soften imperceptibly with a barely-there smile as he beckoned Gelda to join him.

Darting a quick look at Zeldris and seeing approbation in his face, Gelda made herself move forward, her legs heavy and unwilling, until she stood in front of the vile man. The polite mask her training had helped her to master was proving useful now. It was evident from the way the old man took her hand in his, running his dry cracked lips over her soft skin that this unspeakable monster had no idea of her true feelings.

"It is a pleasure to meet you in person, Lady Gelda. After Zeldris informed me of your engagement I took care to find you in the society pages." Eyes that were pale and watery and yet unmistakably lascivious swept slowly over her form and Gelda clenched her teeth hard to prevent her revulsion from showing too plainly, though she chided herself sharply for failing to control her physical response. It had been slight, but the man must surely have noticed her tremble of disgust.

"Zeldris, would you please show my visitors out? I have some business to discuss with the newest member of our family. Derieri, Monspeet, please excuse me. I will see you at dinner."

"Of course, sir." Zeldris instantly obeyed, gesturing impatiently for the alleged con artists to join him and Gelda froze as she realised he was about to leave her. The lewd woman rose unwillingly, casting a look of derision at Zeldris as she let him usher her out of the room, the tall gentleman following close on her heels. With a quick look of encouragement, a slight smile on his lips, Zeldris also departed and Gelda was dismayed that he had missed her silent pleas for help. How could he have done? They had sounded loud and desperate enough in her head.

"I have a proposition for you," the old man cooed as he took a black velvet pouch from his pocket. With shaking fingers, thin skinned and blotched, he clumsily loosened the clasp and shook dozens of bright, shining stones out into his palm. They were large and iridescent, a kaleidoscope of jewels which burned like fire even in the meagre light of their surroundings. Despite her trepidation, Gelda felt herself stepping forwards, unwittingly running her fingers through the sharp fragments.

"These can be yours, on one condition. I am sure I do not need to make the terms clear. My youngest son always did have exquisite taste," the old man moaned as he enclosed Gelda's hand between his own, resting his fingers against her rigid arm. The shock of her position hit Gelda with force and she tried to pull herself away, only to find her arm locked in place. Eyes wide and horrified stared at the spot where she and the disgusting septuagenarian were joined and Gelda became truly aware of the danger she was facing. He appeared weak and frail, but the strength in his fingers showed that this man could overpower her physically.

In response to her obvious unwillingness, the monster held Gelda's hand more tightly, pulling her down so he could speak directly into her ear. "Do not dare to cross me. If you want my son to receive his inheritance you will do what I say. I will cut him out if you disobey me, and then where do you think your future marriage will be? All of my sons like money. Zeldris will not thank you if you get in his way."

At this, Gelda decided she had to act, and yanked her arm sharply. Surprised at the suddenness of her movement, the old man was forced to let go and Gelda's hand pulled mercifully free, gems scattering all over the floor as she stumbled back. Without a word, Gelda turned and fled the room, swaying slightly as her high heels caught in the carpet. A cruel, cackling laughter followed her as she ran for her life.


	2. Plans Are Formed

**Chapter 2: Plans Are Formed**

The large drawing room on the ground floor was stuffed with an ornate mess of furniture in different styles, which gave the place the feel of being a museum installation. A harpsichord gathered dust in one corner of the space; the large windows, covered in wrought iron detailing, were framed with heavy, green velvet curtains edged in flashy gold braid. It was not the most pleasant of rooms in the house, but would serve as the perfect setting for an interrogation of two people who were most likely up to no good.

Zeldris had covertly examined the pair as he led them through the Manor, and had made up his mind that they were indeed trouble. A slut and a lounge lizard was his somewhat cruel assessment. The lady, if one could call her that, was more than coarse. Displeasingly vulgar, in fact: the woman was wearing barely anything at all, and was wantonly chewing a loose lock of her spiky hair as she flounced through the house. The tall man who walked protectively by her side was a little better, but he was extremely pretentious, flapping a thick cloak dramatically around himself as they walked. Since achieving fame a few years ago, Zeldris had become used to fawning admiration among those he spoke with; the contrast in manners was causing his temper to fray.

"I would like you to give me more information about these diamond mines my father is helping you to excavate. Where exactly are they for a start?" Zeldris took a detailed map of South Africa from a bookcase stuffed full of travel books and memorabilia and laid it out on a small walnut table, inlaid with shimmering pearl. Monspeet pressed his lips together very slightly. The movement was barely noticeable but Zeldris caught the gesture and smiled to himself. Much as this cold fish tried to maintain an imperious countenance he was clearly riled.

"We have several prospects," Monspeet said loftily, "and no, I won't say where they are. As usual, secrets of that sort will remain secrets until the geological tests are complete. When our initial findings are confirmed, we will be able to raise the money needed to buy land in the surrounding area. You cannot expect us to give you any intel which risks our own interests."

"Given the financial assistance my father has furnished you with, the very least you can do is share..."

"We'll share by my ass," Derieri spat back, her hard, predatory eyes fixed on Zeldris. "You'd better back off if you know what's good for you."

"Interesting. Resorting to threats so soon..." Zeldris mused, a triumphant smile curving over his face. "Rather confirms the impression that all you have is bluster. Have you any proof that your activities are legitimate?" Monspeet stared imperiously at Zeldris while Derieri clenched her left hand into a fist, smashing it hard into her other palm. "How did you persuade my father to invest in your venture? It is not like him to be so careless," Zeldris continued, unperturbed by the show of force.

Mouth open wide, Derieri was on the point of yelling when Monspeet placed a warning hand on her shoulder. Although she shot her companion a fierce look, Derieri remained silent.

"We do not need to talk to you about this," Monspeet sniffed contemptuously. "Obviously your father does not want to tell you anything, so neither will we."

"Fine. Game on!" Zeldris snarled. "Your words are practically an admission of guilt. Rest assured I will find out what is going on and I will make you pay."

With one last look of derision, Zeldris spun on his heels and strode out of the room, heading through the corridor towards the staircases, a plan of campaign beginning to form in his head. He'd fetch Gelda quickly and then find the others, who he would need for the next part of the scheme. Mounting the steps, Zeldris saw his brothers coming towards him and was thankful for once to see them approach. It had saved him the bother of searching for them.

"Estarossa, you are right. They are nothing but con artists," Zeldris admitted. Estarossa and Meliodas exchanged glances and Zeldris felt himself growing irritated that he needed to make the situation clear. "I met them. They are absolute charlatans.

"Go and keep them entertained for half an hour. They are in the drawing room. I will search their rooms while you occupy them," he ordered. "Meliodas, you take Elizabeth to see our father. That way he won't interfere. Gelda will likely be with him still. Can you ask her to head to Gowther's study and I will meet her there."

"Since when did you get so masterful?" Estarossa asked, his voice dripping with languor.

"Just do it, would you? Before they make a move," Zeldris shot back, his dark eyes flashing with irritation as he surged on his brother. Estarossa was surprised; evidently success had given Zeldris a feel for command.

"Alright, seems a good plan to me. Let's get going!" Meliodas quickly pulled Elizabeth back up the stairs, Zeldris taking the other direction towards Gowther's study. It was only after they had gone that Estarossa realised why his elder brother had fallen in with the suggestion so quickly. The sneaky git would now be able to tap up their father before he did. Grinding his teeth with frustration, Estarossa stomped down the stairs and made his way to the drawing room. If he could show these scrounges for what they were, his father might feel more charitable. It would probably mean screwing Meliodas over but that couldn't be helped. Times were desperate and called for desperate measures.

Reaching the drawing room Estarossa made his entrance, and in that moment, as his eyes landed on Derieri who was sitting on one of the many sofas in the room, her legs wide apart, he decided his approach would be a friendly one. Con artist she may be, but she was evidently somewhat effective and she was definitely rather attractive. His eyes then caught the gentleman, who was standing over Derieri, his face the picture of possessiveness giving him the lie of the land immediately. These two were together, and Monspeet felt threatened. Estarossa grinned to himself; he always liked a challenge.

"I understand my younger brother's been annoying you. Please do accept my apologies on his behalf."

Derieri shot Estarossa a look of cold incredulity, which he countered with his usual bored, untroubled expression. After several tense seconds, the lady relaxed, her pose becoming more alluring in consequence. This was a positive development and Estarossa pressed his advantage.

"So you're in the business of diamond mines? I don't know a lot about such things myself. I'm an artist."

"What sort of artist?" the lady asked, grabbing at the proffered bait and Estarossa moved closer, taking a seat alongside her on the settee as she moved a little to make room for him. The tension coming from Monspeet was palpable, but he held his counsel. No doubt, he was quite hard to antagonise. Control of oneself and of others was an essential skill for the hustler.

"Sculptures. Female nudes," Estarossa replied succinctly as Derieri's eyebrows rose under her mop of bright orange hair. "I can show you some if you like," he added in response to her burgeoning smile.

Whipping his phone out of his pocket, Estarossa began scrolling through the pictures of his work, intermingled with stills of the models who inspired his art. Monspeet, looking over Derieri's shoulder, also showed interest at this point. He was apparently something of a connoisseur and made quite intelligent remarks, showing himself to have a background in the history of art. Estarossa began to enjoy the discussion, and forgot the purpose of his errand. Before long, he had found his father's drinks cabinet and was serving port to the guests, who were now treating him with an agreeable respect.

"These are very good," Monspeet murmured, taking a slow sip of port as he looked more closely at Estarossa's photos. "I would really like to view these works properly. You have a future in this business."

"Yeah, assuming I can keep my head above water," Estarossa said proudly, his eyes approving of the smooth marble of his statues. His detailing had improved dramatically over the past year and his latest pieces were genuinely of a very high quality. "Put bluntly, I'm broke. All this will belong to the debt collectors if I don't get cash soon."

"Living hand to mouth sucks," Derieri agreed. "I'm so sick of being poor. But we'll be rolling in it soon." At this Monspeet shot her a warning look which did not go unnoticed, but Estarossa managed not to give himself away. Perhaps with a little skilful questioning, he might be able to get something useful, so Estarossa feigned boredom, staring into the distance. These two were clearly as keen on money as himself, and that should provide some grounds for discussion.

Suddenly, the phone rang, disrupting Estarossa's train of thought. On autopilot, he stood up and moved towards the old-fashioned telephone, picking up the ornate, metal receiver. As words started to drift through, Estarossa realised that he must got to the phone at almost the exact same time his father, whose rasping voice was now booming into his ear.

"About time you called. Come over here now! Bring the will with you. I need to change it."

"Um... of course, sir. But... um... may I ask what your intentions are? I had thought the settlement was very fair."

"Each of the squibs getting a third each, yes. Your ridiculous suggestion if I remember right. Well, it will no longer do. Zeldris needs to be punished and the other two are a complete waste of space. Draft it again. Leave it all to Gowther this time."

"But, sir... surely..."

"And another thing. I have reason to believe that I am hosting a pair of criminals who are after my money. I've played along so far. The lady is... well... you'll see what I mean when you get here. But they're boring me now. You will come here and sort them out. I've given them some cash. Don't worry about getting that back, the young lady has earned it. Just make sure they know to make tracks."

"Yes sir, of course..."

"Stop fawning, Escanor, and get on with it!"

The line abruptly went dead, the ring tone echoing throughout the room. All three of the party stood stock still, expressions of shock and hurt fixed on their faces. Monspeet looked coldly at Derieri, who hid her face in her hands. His expression which was blooming with rage softened slightly as her shoulders shook, and he gathered her up into his arms, holding her close as he stroked her long, spiky hair.

"What did he do to you?" Monspeet seethed. "You never cry."

"He grabbed me. He said he'd double what he gave us if I... And we need the money."

"Never, ever do that again. In no circumstances. You are mine, and mine alone. I'd rather die in the gutter than see you defiled."

"What d'you guys need money for?" Estarossa enquired. "It's obviously for something special or you'd have cut your losses and run. How much more d'you need?"

Derieri peeled herself away from Monspeet and looked at Estarossa with puffy eyes. Gulping slightly, she made herself compose her features and Estarossa was impressed with her strength of will.

"We want out. We've been doing this for years and we'll never make it big. This game blows."

Laying his hand on Derieri's shoulder, Monspeet took up the tale. "We started out in the art world with forgeries. That's how I know your work is good, it would be hard to replicate and the technique is superb. But we never seemed to strike it lucky, so we tried diamond mines instead. That's been more successful. We just need a little bit more, then we can buy this cottage we've had our eyes on. It's in the middle of the Scottish highlands, no one around for miles. It's perfect, but it needs doing up, and for that we need money."

"Well, your time here is up. I'd slip away quickly if I were you. I'll keep my mouth shut, in exchange for a cut of course." Estarossa met their incredulous stares with a lazy grin. "Look, you've said enough for me to get the police involved. I took the liberty of recording this little conversation just now," Estarossa lied with practiced ease. "Hope you don't mind. You're not the only ones who are hard up, and that money is mine. I'm not asking for it all. You play ball and I'll hold the others off. Believe me, my younger brother is naturally violent. He'll break you if he needs to."

Monspeet drew himself together, squaring up to Estarossa menacingly, before collapsing in on himself, acknowledging the defeat.

"How much do you want?" Monspeet spat, his eyes fixed angrily on Estarossa.

"Three hundred thousand. I know he gave you a million. You can spare that."

"My ass we will!" Derieri yelled as she surged on Estarossa, but before she could strike Monspeet bowed his head, signalling his assent. Estarossa grinned in triumph. That amount would be enough to save his career.

"Of course, there is another option," Monspeet began. "The problem could, you know... disappear."

"Are you suggesting what I think you are?" Estarossa asked cautiously.

"Oh yes. No one touches what is mine and gets away with it," Monspeet replied, his voice trembling slightly with rage. At this, Derieri's cheeks coloured pink and she looked at Monspeet with a slightly gooey expression. "I'm in if you are. There is obviously no love lost between the two of you, and he's a fool not to recognise your talent."

Estarossa paused, contemplating the position. It would solve his problems and what harm would it do? The old man was close to death anyway and with both of his brothers cut out there was really no other option, unless he wanted his dreams to die in the white transit van of the debt collectors.

"So, are we killing him or not?" Derieri asked harshly. "We're in if you are."

"Okay, you're on. So what do we do?" Estarossa said slowly.

* * *

"Promise me you won't let him upset you, okay?" Meliodas said softly, his usually cheerful face uncommonly serious. "Believe me, he's awful and it's not you, it's him."

"Um... he can't really be that bad can he?" Elizabeth asked breathlessly as Meliodas pulled her along the corridor towards his father's rooms. "At least, he can't be as... um... like your youngest brother. He's... a little difficult isn't he?" Meliodas chuckled at her words, and he slipped his arm round her waist.

"He's not that bad really. He's just got used to getting his own way. You do know who he is, don't you?"

"Oh, of course! I could hardly not know him. He's all over the papers." Zeldris' meteoric rise through the ranks of the right-wing Conservative Party had been covered assiduously by the national media. It was hard to avoid. Elizabeth was not sure what she thought of the famous politician, whose robust language appeared to her to conceal a desire to lash out.

Meliodas looked thoughtful as he rubbed the back of his head. "He's fed a lot of puff about himself and it's probably messed him up a bit. Must be quite difficult to stay sane in the circumstances. I mean, he's everywhere now. It's got to be difficult being in the spotlight all the time."

Before Elizabeth could protest at this too generous assessment, Meliodas stopped outside a door and she felt herself gasp in surprise. The man who feared nothing, who in her experience was completely unflappable, was apparently scared, judging by his expression and the way he trembled slightly. Elizabeth reached for his hand, squeezing it comfortingly as Meliodas knocked on the door. Returning the pressure for an instant, Meliodas then dropped her hand before they entered the room. He usually held the door open for her in these situations, but this time he went in first, keeping her very deliberately behind him.

"What the hell do you want?" the old man snapped, his eyes wild and angry as spit sprayed from his lips. Meliodas stopped dead as it took a while for his eyes to adjust to the dark of the room, dismay sinking over him as he saw his father hunched in the exact same position as when he had last left him. Even though his father had a temper and did not like to see him, this level of perturbation was unusual. Whatever had happened to cause this?

"Sorry to disturb you. Couple of things. First, Gowther asked me to give you this." Meliodas' tone was excessively polite as he handed the paper to his father. The old man snorted derisively, before clicking his fingers in impatience. Meliodas quickly went to the desk at the other end of the room, returning to his father with a clipboard and pen. He laid the clipboard on his father's knee, before handing him the pen and, with another look of disgust, the paper was signed and thrust back into Meliodas' hand. Quickly, the clipboard and pen were returned to their original places before Meliodas returned to stand to attention.

As this was going on, Elizabeth took the opportunity to examine her surroundings, wondering why the old gentleman chose to keep the room so dark. There were a couple of large windows, but these were fully covered for some reason. Even if they were opened, the room was furnished in such a way that the light would have been sucked away rather than reflected back. The walls were decorated in an ageing, patterned wallpaper to match the solid green of the carpet, and the furniture was made of a dark, antique wood. Elizabeth pictured herself stripping back the layers of paper so that the room could be painted a fresh, pale yellow. The carpet could be pulled away to expose what were likely wooden floorboards beneath and these could be restored and polished until they shone. Replacing the furniture with something light, like white upholstered chairs, and dotting a few houseplants around would give the room a much more pleasing atmosphere.

Perusing the room closely, Elizabeth was surprised to see a handful of stones on the floor, and without thinking she stooped to pick them up. On closer inspection, she was surprised to find she had retrieved a small collection of polished green, red and blue glass, parts of some no doubt gaudy costume jewellery. Elizabeth stowed the pieces safely in her handbag, so that they could be returned to their rightful place.

"So, what else do you want? And I give you warning, if you ask me for money to build that filthy bar of yours I will make you wish you had never been born."

"Of course not sir, you've made yourself clear," Meliodas responded, his eyes fixed on the floor. "Um... may I please introduce you to Elizabeth, who has agreed to marry me."

Elizabeth stood stock still as pale eyes raked over her figure. The action was slow and deliberate, and Elizabeth felt her heart race with her trepidation as Meliodas' eyes widened in concern. Wiry eyebrows met in a scowl and Elizabeth felt herself gasp as the man's face puckered into one of significant displeasure.

"Get out! Now! I know what you are. You're nothing but a money-grabbing hussy who's managed to fool my idiot soon. Get out!" This last command came at an absolute yell, the volume enough to make some of the ornaments scattered about the room shake slightly in their places. Elizabeth turned and fled, grateful that she had worn sensible flats as she gained a welcome momentum. Rather than following her, Meliodas took three long strides towards his father, looming over him where he sat.

"How dare you!" he seethed, his eyes burning. "You will not speak to Elizabeth like that. I love her."

"Pathetic!" the old man barked back. "Can you not see she is nothing. A vaguely pretty face, that is all. No prospects and no grace. The typical girl next door only with less appeal."

"You've no idea what you're talking about! Elizabeth is a wonderful person."

"You are all disappointments! It is lucky that the family honour does not rest with the three of you." Meliodas gasped with surprise and his father yelled, "What? Did you think you were the only ones?" The old man smiled nastily at his son, lips curved in an evil sneer. "I've plenty of other sprogs around the world who are no doubt much better than you."

With trembling hands the man reached out for the phone which stood on the table next to him, twisting the coiling wire through his fingers as he spun the dial. From the shouted half of the conversation he could hear, Meliodas gathered his father was instructing his lawyer, Escanor, to call him back without delay. There was only one thing that could mean. At one point, his father's will had changed every three weeks, but when Escanor had taken over as his parent's legal representative there had been some blessed constancy in its provisions. Evidently, that was all over.

"But what's Zeldris done to upset you so much? I saw him a few moments ago and it didn't seem there was anything wrong," Meliodas asked as his father slammed the received back into its holder.

At this, eyes glowering with malice fixed on him and Meliodas had to struggle to maintain his composure. He had never seen his father so angry.

"It's that whore of his. If he ditches her then there will be no problem, and you can tell him so from me. Tell him she is not to spend a moment longer under my roof. Now go! Get out!"

Not needing to hear the instruction twice, Meliodas shot out of the room, as perplexed as he was livid. What could Gelda have done to bring this wrath upon her? She had seemed perfectly gentle to him. Then the thought of what his father had said about Elizabeth came back to haunt him and Meliodas could feel himself quake with anger. He had to find her, to make it alright, to tell her she was the most amazing woman in the world.

Searching through the Manor, whipping his phone out in the process so as to try and get in touch, Meliodas allowed himself to fantasise about slitting the old bugger's throat, the sight of the bright, red blood staining his collared shirt bringing him a satisfaction that was intoxicating. He wanted to kill him so badly, but he shook his head. Wishful thinking would get him nowhere. There was no way he would get away with it. Pushing these thoughts aside, Meliodas continued his search for Elizabeth.

* * *

"Gelda, what happened?" Zeldris' voice sounded dismayed and concerned as Gelda looked up sharply. She had hurled herself into the first empty room she came to, locking the door before she broke down into tears. Ever since, she had been sitting on a small sofa, her head in her hands, trying to decide which course of action she should take. The old man would not doubt be angry, but what would he do? Would he really go so far as to cut Zeldris out? Agitation had dulled Gelda's senses and she had missed the sound of the door rattling and then being unlocked from the outside.

"How did you get in? I'm sure I locked that door?" Gelda gasped, her eyes wide as she tried to gather her thoughts. She was still clutching the key she had inadvertently taken when she collapsed into the nearest chair, the metal having chiseled a few red groves into her fingers and palm with the pressure of her grasp.

"These doors all use the same key. I thought this might be the swindlers' room and I wanted to examine their belongings. But why are you here? What has happened?" Zeldris moved quickly towards her as he spoke, his face completely absent of the harsh scowl he reserved for the rest of the world, his grace and speed making Gelda's heart melt even as she felt her throat constricting with anxiety.

Suddenly Zeldris asked, "Who did this?" His voice was lethally quiet as he took Gelda's hand. She looked down, realising that a livid bruise had begun to rise on her skin where the old man had clasped her so tightly. Struggling with adrenaline as the memory of the encounter forced itself into the uppermost regions of her mind, Gelda swallowed, making herself keep her tears at bay.

"Which of them was it? Meliodas or Estarossa?" Zeldris seethed, his slight form shaking with rage. His confusion at not being able to find Gowther to elicit his help in the search for evidence of fraud was completely forgotten as he glared down at Gelda's wrist. Gelda could feel the violence popping beneath his skin as he practically yelled, "Come on, tell me, or I'll kill them both!"

"It... it wasn't them," Gelda whispered reluctantly. "It was..." she broke off, looking downwards as a light of understanding glowed in Zeldris' eyes.

"Did... did he do this to you? Please Gelda, tell me. I can't..." Zeldris stuttered to a halt, falling onto the sofa next to her as Gelda let her head nod in affirmation, losing control of the tears she had been holding back. Quicker than thought, Zeldris clasped her to him, gently stroking the skin on the back of her neck as she sobbed into his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry. I don't know what he'll do to you because of this," Gelda gulped. "He said..."

"Shush, it's alright. I'm going to fix this. Don't worry. I will make him pay," Zeldris muttered darkly as he held Gelda to him, forcing himself not to shake with anger. He felt the last of his respect for his father boil down into rage. He had he to work out how he could kill the vile piece of excrement in revenge for defiling the woman he had pledged so sincerely to protect.


	3. The Locked Room

**Chapter 3: The Locked Room**

"This cannot fail. I read about it in a book. It is foolproof." Monspeet stared back at his incredulous companion, his arms folded as he looked down his nose. "All you have to do is exactly what I say."

"No offence, but you're not the most accomplished of criminals. Why on earth should I trust you?" With a sudden flick of the wrist, Estarossa knocked back the glass of port he was holding, swallowing the expensive liquid in one fluid motion. This idea was stupid. So stupid that it might just work. No police officer in their right mind would think anyone would be dumb enough to try it.

"Stop stalling and decide!" Derieri glowered at Estarossa, her amber eyes boring into him.

"Either you are with us or you are against us," Monspeet added haughtily, glaring at Estarossa over his long, aquiline nose.

"I'm with you alright. But I won't be the one to do it. Otherwise you'll sell me out, first chance you get," Estarossa sank onto one of the many large chairs which filled the over-stuffed drawing room, spreading himself lazily out over it. "I'm no fool."

"Fine, I'll kill him. You're both pussies," Derieri said with a sneer. "You two make a scene, and stick by him Monspeet. He's not to be trusted."

"Hang on!" Estarossa called as Derieri made for the door. "You can't do it yet! I need to make sure my brothers aren't around. Meliodas went up to see him just now. This damn fool plan is going to be pretty crap if someone sees you."

"He has a point, Derieri, we need him to be alone for this or the trick will be pretty obvious," Monspeet agreed as he pinched his chin thoughtfully with forefinger and thumb.

"Monspeet, you go and check the coast's clear and that the door's locked. If all's well, signal to me from the window in the corridor. When you're ready, I'll cause the distraction and then... we're in business."

Lips pursed angrily, Derieri rounded on Estarossa until Monspeet laid a calming hand on her shoulder. "He's right. Do you want us to get caught? Get in position."

With a glance over her shoulder at Monspeet, a look of understanding passing between the two, Derieri pounced towards the door.

"Come back in an hour if nothing's happened," Estarossa yelled at Derieri's back, a slight pause in her gait the only acknowledgement of his words as she swept from the room. In perfect silence, Monspeet and Estarossa waited until Derieri had time to get to her place and then they also departed, taking their separate ways without speaking. As agreed, Monspeet headed up the rightmost of the twin staircases as he made his way towards the old man's room.

* * *

"Oh, sorry! I didn't mean... Hey what's happened? Are you alright, Gelda?" Meliodas walked forwards into what his family called the Blue Room, a bedroom decorated entirely in shades of that colour. It looked as cold as it felt; the heating was never turned on in the spare rooms even in the middle of winter.

It was with some surprise that Meliodas caught sight of his youngest brother, who looked extremely shaken as he tenderly cradled Gelda's pale, tear streaked face. Her long, dark lashes were surprisingly pristine and Meliodas wondered if the apparent lack of mascara meant that they were naturally dark or if they were just the product of extremely good make-up. He had scoured the upstairs rooms after leaving his father, still upset and angry as he set to his search and had not expected to come upon any company.

"What are you doing here?" Zeldris demanded crossly, his fingers digging into Gelda's arms slightly with his agitation. Gelda pressed her head into Zeldris' shoulder, hiding her marred face from view.

"I'm looking for Elizabeth, and she's obviously not here. I'll leave you two alone."

Meliodas smiled kindly at Gelda before turning to leave, his mind already on where he might look next.

"Wait!" Zeldris called, pushing Gelda back gently from him as he turned to stare at his brother's retreating form. "Although it pains me to say it," he muttered reluctantly with a sigh, "I need your help. Come with me now. We should discuss it in private."

"Are you sure?" Meliodas turned round to examine his brother carefully, noting the set of his jaw and the dark fire of his eyes. Zeldris never asked for help, so this sudden plea meant something serious was up with him.

"Okay, I'm all ears. Let's go somewhere, but I have to find Elizabeth first," Meliodas offered, for once finding it difficult to summon a smile.

"Indeed. I don't want to leave Gelda on her own. Will you ask Elizabeth to come here?" Zeldris turned to his fiancée, taking both her hands in his as he looked into her eyes. "Elizabeth seemed nice enough to me. Will you be happy to stay here with her?"

In response to Gelda's nod of assent, Meliodas checked his phone. He had called Elizabeth a number of times as he searched through the house and he was relieved to see she had finally sent him a message. Meliodas excused himself and shot out of the room. Before too long he breezed back in, his eyes dark with worry as he held Elizabeth close beside him.

Elizabeth was crying so hard she could barely speak, her breaths coming as rushed gasps between deep, trembling sobs. Meliodas felt a stab of guilt. There was no way any man in his right mind would leave any woman in this state, especially when she was supposed to be providing the comfort. But one look at Zeldris was enough to tell him how unpopular he would be if he dared to suggest any postponement of their plans.

"Really sorry, Elizabeth. Something's come up. I need to you stay with Gelda for a while. She's... a bit upset. I'll be back as soon as I can." At this, Gelda looked up at Meliodas, an expression of utter incredulity on her noble features.

Elizabeth was confused, and rather hurt, but she tried not to show it. She needed Meliodas to stay with her, but she knew she should be dutiful and do what he said. After an awkward pause she managed to blurt out, "Oh, of course..." before she sobbed even harder, her squeaks rising to a pitch so high it was likely audible only to dogs. "There, there," Meliodas murmured consolingly as he patted Elizabeth on the back a few times before reluctantly letting Zeldris drag him out through the door. She would not stop crying any time soon.

Once alone, the two women took the opportunity to examine each other. Elizabeth sniffed, rubbing her eyes with her fists as she tried desperately to stop her tears, but her efforts proved to be a fruitless endeavour. Giving in to the inevitable, she flung herself onto the couch, her tears soaking into the blue velvet upholstery.

Seeing the other girl in bits helped Gelda regain mastery of herself, and she took several steadying breaths to ensure she had command of her emotions. Giving physical comfort was not familiar to her, the women in her social circle being more rivals than friends, but she made herself put her natural reluctance aside. Tentatively, she reached out for Elizabeth who sat up immediately and clung to her desperately in return as she sobbed her heart out. Gelda froze with the shock of her hold, before relenting and letting her body relax. The experience was new but was not at all unpleasant and before she knew what was happening Gelda found herself stroking Elizabeth's smooth, silver hair as she held her.

"So you met our father-in-law to be too I take it," Gelda said haltingly, attempting to lighten the mood. Elizabeth giggled slightly through the sobs and finally Gelda could feel the girl's breathing becoming less frantic and shallow, signaling a return to a semblance of calm. Elizabeth continued to regain control of her emotions as Gelda wondered what move to make next. One wrong word and the crying might start again so she would need to chose what to say with great care.

How long the pair stayed like this they could not later recall, but they both agreed that they suddenly broke apart on hearing extremely loud yells coming from somewhere along the corridor. Elizabeth finally stopped crying and both she and Gelda stared at the door with shock on their faces as the harsh sounds continued. The voices were muffled, but they were very familiar and both women instantly recognised them.

"What is going on?" Gelda whispered as she held herself as still as possible, trying to distinguish the words being shouted.

"I... that sounds like Meliodas, but... I don't understand. He never shouts. This isn't like him at all." Elizabeth's hand moved to play with the cuffs of her frilly blouse.

Gelda considered this. Zeldris did have a temper and this tone was not out of character, though he never used it with her. What was strange was the speed at which he had lost his cool. It usually took much longer for him to get this riled.

The girls looked at one another, wide-eyed and tense as the shouting continued. Gelda thought she could make out her own name being bawled out loudly, just before the sound of something smashing punctuated the ruckus. The girls clutched at each other, Elizabeth's mouth gaping slightly as Gelda pressed her lips together. The silence that followed was short lived, and before long the tumult of violent wrath resumed.

"Don't you think we should go to them?" Elizabeth asked, her voice rasping hoarsely, and she nearly pulled a clump of her hair out as she tugged on it furiously, wincing slightly with the pain this brought.

"I don't know..." Gelda spoke these words unwillingly. She knew she could calm Zeldris down, but would he want her to interfere? She felt paralysed by her indecision and she could see Elizabeth was hesitating too. "Very well, let us..."

Gelda was interrupted sharply when another sound, much louder and more frightening than the brawl they had been listening to, echoed all through the Manor. It was horrible, like a pig screaming, and Gelda felt her stomach drop with cold dread.

All at once, the argument ceased, the sudden dearth of noise sounding nearly as loud as the previous cacophony, the silence ringing through the room. After a brief pause, the thud of a door slamming against the wall and running feet told the girls all they needed to know.

Following a quick glance at each other, both women rushed from the room, taking in the white walls and red carpet as they surveyed the corridor.

"Where do you think the sounds came from?" Gelda asked as she turned to Elizabeth, dismayed to see her future sister-in-law's lip was quivering once more.

"Um… I don't know… but it sounded like Meliodas ran this way," Elizabeth stuttered as she pointed left in the direction of the old man's room. The memory of what lay in that direction made Gelda's heart miss a beat, but she forced herself to tug on Elizabeth's hand as they set off at a run, determined to find the source of the furor.

As the twin staircases came into view Gelda wondered whether they should stay up or go down. But before she could decide, she pulled up short as a tall, cloaked man rounded on them from the top of the steps. With some difficulty, Gelda just prevented herself from smashing into him; Elizabeth was not so lucky. Before she could stop herself, she careened into Monspeet, who swore loudly as she nearly knocked him to the floor. Catching Elizabeth with a practiced ease, Monspeet placed her back on her feet before running in the direction of the old man's room.

"Come on, the noise came from here!" Monspeet called over his shoulder as he made his way at pace along the corridor.

"Who was that?" Elizabeth asked tremulously as she stared nervously in the direction of Monspeet's retreat. The timidity in her face was hard to miss and Gelda wondered if it was concern about the stranger or a dread of what lay in that direction that brought her such fear.

"Monspeet," Gelda replied as she squeezed Elizabeth's hand comfortingly. "He is the con artist, but no need to worry. He seemed harmless to me." Elizabeth nodded bravely, setting her face with determination as the two women followed quickly in Monspeet's footsteps.

With a sharp twist of the head, Zeldris looked to his right as the sound of heavy breathing and padding feet approached, taking in the wild expressions of Monspeet, Gelda and Elizabeth as they ran towards him. He was on his knees, examining the lock of the door with one eye while Meliodas stood over him, wild anxiety marring his brother's face as he ran his hand through his messy blonde hair.

"He has locked it and the key must be on the inside. I cannot see a thing!" Zeldris snapped upright, twisting the handle and pushing at the door with all his might in a desperate bid to open it, snarling with frustration when it remained firmly in place. "Stand back! I will break it down."

"Wait! These panels are pretty flimsy. Let me try," Meliodas replied and, after a brief pause, he smashed his fist into the door with a powerful punch. The panel gave way, splintering with a screech as pointed shards of wood shattered inwards.

Zeldris' ears rang as Meliodas shouted with triumph, before he turned the key in the lock from the inside, the audible creak of the mechanism sounding through the corridor. As he turned to seek Gelda out, Zeldris saw Gowther standing behind her. The secretary's face was as blank and expressionless as usual and Zeldris wondered when he had arrived.

"Gowther, take Gelda away from here now! Elizabeth too," Zeldris commanded as he returned Gowther's gaze, his hands clenched slightly in his perturbation. He definitely did not want Gelda to see this. The quick glance through the door the had allowed himself was enough to confirm that the view would be beyond gruesome.

With a nod of understanding, Gowther gently led Elizabeth and Gelda back away from the door, his gait halting as he took them down the corridor back in the direction they had come from. With a glance at Meliodas, Zeldris made his way into the room, his brother and Monspeet following behind.

Zeldris blanched with shock as he took in the mutilated corpse of the man he had wanted dead, laying on the floor. His father's skull was visibly dented and thick, dark blood pooled like ink onto the luxurious green carpet. He looked an absolute mess, and Zeldris caught the splash of bile in his throat as he looked down at the battered remains. He did not need to check for signs of life. Propped up against the limp body, a golf club stood proud, the head of it covered in gore and clumps of dark hair. Zeldris shuddered involuntarily before he caught a flash of movement out of the corner of his eye and, on turning slightly, met Monspeet's cold mask of a face. The con artist had been moving closer to his father's body.

"Stop right there! This is a crime scene and you will go no further. We must all get out now," Zeldris said coldly, his eyes fixed on Monspeet. Hearing what sounded like a harsh, retching noise, Zeldris looked over at his brother and was shocked to see Meliodas looking physically sick, his skin an odd, pale green. This level of distress was uncharacteristic for his eldest brother. All enmity forgotten in the shock of the moment, Zeldris offered his arm to Meliodas who took it gratefully. The pair staggered slightly as Zeldris helped Meliodas out of the room, feeling a stab of pity for seeing his brother so weak.

On instinct, after ushering his brother outside, Zeldris turned round to check Monspeet was following. He was not at all surprised to see that the despicable con artist had ignored his instructions, and had in fact made his way further into the room. The cloaked man was standing by the window which looked onto the back garden of the house and, for the first time, Zeldris noticed that the blackout curtains were pushed back. The large, square window itself was wide open, allowing the chill fingers of the evening cold to slowly creep into the space. His father would have hated that.

Clearing his throat deliberately so as to attract attention, Zeldris scowled as Monspeet slowly returned his stare. With an expression of utter boredom on his haughty face, Monspeet walked deliberately out into the corridor, Zeldris following behind.

Face still a peculiar colour, Meliodas was sitting on the floor in the corridor, his eyes glazed and staring downwards.

"It will be alright. I will call the police," Zeldris said as he moved to stand behind his brother, gripping Meliodas' shoulder tightly as he pulled his phone out of his pocket with a trembling hand.

"Well, this sure looks interesting~" a languid voice sounded. Zeldris whipped round, eyes blazing with anger. He was surprised to see Estarossa, who looked pretty sheepish, standing next to an impossibly tall human being. Zeldris clenched his teeth as he took in the new arrival, whose spiky blue hair and tight, ill-fitting suit suggested he was on the slothenly end of the spectrum.

"Monspeet! How nice to see you," the strange man sang, his voice coming in a lazy lilt as his crimson eyes darted around, taking in every detail of the scene. "Now where's that girlfriend of yours? Don't tell me you split up."

"Who the hell are you and what are you doing in our house?" Zeldris growled as he lunged towards the newcomer. "Do you have something to do with this?" he added, gesturing at the ruined door.

Ban returned Zeldris' cold stare with bored contemplation. "The name's Ban. Sergeant Ban to you. I've come here on request. The homeowner wanted to report a theft, or something like that. Was it one of you who called the station?"

"It is a good job you have come. There has been a murder," Gowther's flat voice came from behind Ban, who slowly turned round to face the secretary. "You will find my employer in there. I am quite sure he is dead. You will want to speak to us all no doubt. In addition to the five of us here, there are three ladies at the Manor. Two of them are in my study, where we will also go until you are ready to speak to us. I do not know where Derieri is." Gowther said this last to Monspeet, who had gone very pale, his pencil moustache quivering slightly. Estarossa stared at Monspeet, widening his eyes very slightly to try and tell him to keep his thin mouth shut. Fortunately, the silent fugitive did not need instructions.

"So, you've changed your game have you, Monspeet? Violence isn't usually your style," Ban drawled.

"You know him?" Zeldris asked sharply as he examined Ban's features carefully.

"You could say that~" Ban murmured languidly as he looked over at Monspeet. The hustler said nothing, somehow managing to summon his haughty expression to meet Ban's scrutiny. With a smirk, Ban stepped forwards and pulled Monspeet's arms behind his back as Meliodas let forth a choking cry, placing a pair of handcuffs round the hustler's wrists.

Ban read Monspeet his rights, charging him with multiple counts of fraud before adding, "You're not under arrest for murder, not yet anyway, but I can't risk you running off." Monspeet glared at Ban coldly, the noise of tinkling metal sounding as he experimentally tested the grip of the handcuffs.

"I like your suggestion," Ban drawled to Gowther as he scratched his ear. "Take these others back to your study, would ya? I'll keep this guy with me here."

"No one is taking us anywhere. Meliodas and I need to go and find our partners and we need no assistance to get to them." Zeldris glowered at Ban, the bite of his irritation showing plainly in his tone.

"My study is just down this corridor. I will leave the door open so you can find us easily," Gowther replied woodenly, hand on hip as he struck and odd, coquettish pose. "You should also know that Escanor, my employer's lawyer, was on his way here for an appointment. I have called him so he knows about the situation. He has offered to come even though the appointment is cancelled in case he can be of assistance."

"How thoughtful of you..." Ban looked closely at Gowther, his eyes narrowing as he looked at the slender youth whose smooth bob of pink hair gleamed brightly in the glow of the small ceiling lights. Ban frowned as he watched Gowther move back along the corridor, wondering if he always walked with that strange, wooden gait, almost like his knees did not work properly.

Estarossa followed behind the secretary as Zeldris helped Meliodas to his feet. As they passed, Meliodas looked up at Ban, their eyes locking for a few seconds before Zeldris pulled his brother away. Ban felt shaken; he recognised Meliodas, who had spent quite a bit of time with him in the Dog and Duck a few months back just after he had started his new job in the area. The talk had been free, as had the alcohol Meliodas had bought for him, and he had formed an extremely favourable impression of the chap. Seeing him so dejected and dazed made Ban feel inexplicably protective. Perhaps it was because the man was so small.

Once the remaining suspects had gone Ban called the station, receiving confirmation that Inspector Merlin would join him immediately, as would a team of scene of crime officers. Ban knew better than to contaminate the evidence, but he could make a start from his position just outside the door.

"Stay here," Ban told Monspeet, gently helping him so that he could sit comfortably on the floor. Having noted the bloody corpse and the golf club, Ban was just about to begin a more detailed assessment when he felt a prickling along his neck. He twisted round, eyebrows rising as he took in the barely-clad form of Derieri, who was wearing a short skirt, a tight-fitting vest and a tailored jacket which left nothing to the imagination. Derieri caught sight of Monspeet, who rose to his feet unsteadily as she moved closer towards him.

"I would say it's a pleasure to see you, but we'd both know that's a lie," Ban drawled, taking a few steps forwards so as to stand between Derieri and Monspeet. "What d'you have to say for yourself?"

"I'm here as a guest. You can't pin anything on me," Derieri snapped as she started to back away towards the staircase.

"Not so fast," Ban warned, taking quick strides towards Derieri, closing the remaining gap between them. "You're still wanted for the Modigliani forgery case, though if you ask me the real crime was that the fool you sold it to couldn't see it was fake. And you're going to have to explain what you're doing here."

"There's nothing to explain! It's no crime to stay in a house."

"I see. The man who owns this place can back you up can he?" Ban asked casually, pulling a notebook and pen from his pocket, pretending to jot down some information in shorthand. Monspeet made a strangled sound, but Ban silenced him with a sharp glare before the criminal could share any information with his partner.

"Of course! He asked us to stay here," Derieri spat, her eyes gleaming with triumph. "Go on, ask him." She gestured towards the door, noticing for the first time the splintering wood as she did so. Looking up at Ban and his notebook, her face froze in horror and she turned her shocked face to Monspeet, whose lips twitched as he struggled to maintain his stony silence.

"Bit difficult to do that. The man's dead. Clobbered." Ban watched Derieri closely as she processed his words and he would have sworn her astonishment was genuine. He had a good feel for crooks, and could usually tell when he was being lied to. On the other hand, Derieri and Monspeet were pretty experienced hustlers who took people in for a living.

Wondering what to do next, Ban was saved from inaction by the welcome arrival of the scene of crime officers, accompanied by Inspector Merlin. With practiced efficiency, the team started pulling on hazmat suits and tight latex gloves, making sure they would bring no trace evidence in with them as they went about their business. Inspector Merlin came up to Ban, confidence exuding from her every step as she strode forwards, flicking her dark hair over her shoulder. The inspector was the star of the county police force and she walked like she knew it. Ban grinned in appreciation as Merlin joined him, looking forward to seeing her legendary sharp wit in action. She came to a halt in front on Ban, hand on hip and lips curved in a sly smile as she let her sergeant appraise her of the situation.

"So, you know these people," Merlin purred as she smiled coldly at Derieri and Monspeet.

"We go back a way. I worked in Cornwall before I came here. They're both well known down there," Ban confirmed.

"Ah, the Modigliani case you told me about," Merlin said with understanding, her bright amber eyes flashing as she rounded on the pair of crooks. "A number of my colleagues are keen to meet you, but you can stay here for now.

"We'll take the handcuffs off I think," Merlin added as she looked over at Ban. The tall sergeant grinned before moving behind Monspeet to remove the offending articles. "I will interview you here before we take you both to the station, where I am sure you will have a comfortable stay."

With a fluid grace, Merlin led Derieri and Monspeet down the corridor, Ban accompanying her as they made their way towards Gowther's study.

The room they came to was throbbing with silence and frightened faces stared up at the police officers as the entered. Seeing the two fraudsters, Estarossa rose but one look from Ban, who made sure to show his fierce canines, made him return to his seat. Derieri and Monspeet followed his lead and also sat. Gowther had dragged chairs into the room from all over the house and it was crowded with people and furniture.

"I am sorry for your loss." Merlin spoke clearly, her eyes raking over the room taking in every detail from Gowther's hard, rigid posture to the way Zeldris and Gelda clung to each other.

Merlin recognised the politician, his two brothers and the secretary whom she had seen down the pub on a couple of occasions. Lady Gelda was also familiar to her. The celebrated daughter of the late Lord Izraf was a favourite target of the paparazzi and frequently appeared in the tabloid newspapers. Rumour was she and her brother Orlondi, the new Marquis of Edinburgh, did not get on. Monspeet had also helpfully identified himself so the young lady holding Meliodas' hand was the only one in the party she did not know. She was, however, aware of the rumoured engagement and deduced that this was the much-envied fiancée.

"I am Inspector Merlin. As you will know, this is a murder investigation. We will take statements from each of you, but before then I would like an overview of what happened. Start with when you all arrived at the Manor."

* * *

"Where exactly did you see Estarossa?" Merlin enquired as she and Ban stepped out into the expansive garden at the back of the house.

"Over there," Ban said lazily as he gestured towards a tree growing out of the sodden lawn. "When I got here, the front door was locked and no one would answer my knocks so I came back here to see if I could find another way in. I thought it was a bit odd that I'd been told to get here asap and then was left out in the cold."

Ban remembered how irritated he should have felt to be dragged away from the station's rather lively Christmas party on the whim of some no doubt hysterical old curmudgeon, but the truth was he was keen to see the lord of the Manor for himself. Ban had not met the man but knew of his dark reputation. The nasty git was seriously disliked.

Moving in springy strides, Ban headed towards an apple tree which stood a little back from the house, its branches bare apart from a cluster of mistletoe which clung to it like moss. The long, damp grass at the base of the trunk was squashed flat, a few cigarette butts and white stones lying among the green blades. Merlin snapped a glove over her right hand, and stooped to pick up one of the stones.

"These come from the drive," she murmured thoughtfully. "What are they doing here?"

"Sorry, I didn't notice these. I saw Estarossa having a smoke here and thought he might help me get into the house. I didn't pay too much attention, I guess."

"'No need to apologise. According to the footprints in the grass you only stepped a little way onto the lawn, then Estarossa came to you. These pebbles would have been too small for you to see from that distance."

Merlin stood in the centre of the trampled spot, staring up intently at the huge house. Her line of sight went squarely to an open window on the first floor which was surrounded on all sides of the frame by glossy green ivy. Nodding to herself, Merlin moved back towards the red-bricked building, her high heels sinking slightly into the soft ground.

"More data Ban, we are on the way," Merlin said with glee.

"D'you want to see the suspects on their own now?" Ban enquired. The group interview had revealed nothing interesting. Zeldris had taken charge of the narrative, which Ban had found surprising. From his previous encounter with Meliodas, Ban had thought he would be the natural leader among the brothers. The poor man had been completely broken however, saying nothing at all.

The only other point of note was that something was clearly going on with Estarossa and the two criminals, who kept shooting each other quick, furtive looks. Ban grinned to himself. Teasing out the exact nature of their relationship was going to be fun.

The other thing Merlin and Ban had agreed on was that the timing was too tight to permit an outsider, so the culprit must be one of the people sitting in Gowther's study. Ban's arrival confirmed that no one had left the Manor after the murder was committed, and a search of the property had revealed no unexpected visitors on site. This made the job easier; yet Ban was uneasy. He did not fancy any of the eight suspects for the crime.

"No. Let's examine the room first now that the scene of crime officers have finished. I want to let them all stew." Merlin spoke with determination as she continued on her path towards the house. Rather than heading for the back door, however, Merlin stood directly under the window they had been gazing at earlier before turning her attention to the trailing ivy. Her face close to the plant, Merlin scrutinised it minutely, using a biro to move back leaves so as to get a closer look.

"No snapped branches." Merlin looked disappointed as she stared up the wall. "How heavy would you say Estarossa is?"

"Around two hundred pounds or so, maybe two ten," Ban guessed, recalling Estarossa's physique. He was tall and incredibly muscular, an absolute powerhouse of a man.

"I thought so. More than heavy enough to break this plant if he tried to climb. I think we can rule it out," Merlin declared.

Ban also stared up at the ivy. It was true that Estarossa would be too heavy for the task and, although smaller, Monspeet would have made a visible mess too. The rest of the suspects however could have scaled the wall without issue. Meliodas and his youngest brother were both lithe and wiry, and the slender secretary could also have managed it. The girls were light enough, although the idea of the graceful Gelda swarming up the leaves in her perilously high heels was hard to imagine. Still, they were all pretty toned and probably worked out hard enough. Derieri in particular would have had no problem at all.

Merlin and Ban made their way in through the backdoor and up to the old man's room, which was still hosting a few scene of crime officers who were just in the process of packing up their equipment. The corpse lay there, a bloody mess on the floor, curled up pathetically in a foetal position. The doctor had made an initial assessment, leaving Merlin and Ban free to take a closer look until the coroner arrived. Crouching down to the floor and lifting the sleeve of the man's shirt and the cuffs of his trousers with her biro, Merlin examined the victim's arms and legs carefully.

"The blow to the head is what killed him, but he was beaten savagely first, if the bruises I can see are anything indication of what the rest of his clothes are hiding. Why do you think that was?" Merlin asked as she stretched back up, her dark purple trouser suit falling into place as she stood.

"Can't have been to subdue him. Whoever hit him must be really powerful," Ban mused as he looked down. The man's skull was caved in, the skin having been forced back and away to expose the bone underneath. "Perhaps they were angry..."

"That would fit with the data. It would have been easy enough to take this man out without this overkill. He may even have had his back to the killer when they first struck."

"How d'you make that out?" Ban asked incredulously. Merlin sometimes gave the impression of being clairvoyant her deductions were so wild, but they were always grounded in facts.

"Simple. He opened the window and was likely doing so when the attack occurred. Look..." Merlin used her biro to point at the man's velvet jacket cuff which had a chip of white paint caught in the button hole. Ban stepped closer to the window and, sure enough, an identically-shaped piece was missing from the white-painted frame.

"It is freezing outside and these other windows are completely covered. There is an obvious reason why he might not have closed this one. Not proven of course, but it is a possibility. In any case, he is much too frail to have put up much of a fight against someone with this sort of brute strength."

"The golf club is a nine iron, a heavy make and right-handed. Looks like it lived over there," Ban remarked as he gestured towards a partial set of golf clubs leaning against the wall. "Meliodas is left-handed by the way. I've met him before down the pub," he continued in answer to Merlin's questioning stare.

"That does not mean he is unable to use a right-handed club to kill someone. This is murder, not the US Open," Merlin said with clear disapproval.

"Yes, but look at the angle. The golf club was swung upwards from right to the left, yeah? No lefty could've done that," Ban insisted, determined to press the point.

"The doctor agrees, but I want to know why you are so keen that Meliodas did not do it. If you know him at all well I should move you off this investigation. I thought you were new to the area."

"I am, and I don't know him, not really. I've only met him one time. I was just looking at the evidence..."

Merlin gazed at Ban for several seconds before nodding her head curtly. "I've met him too. You would be wise not to let an affable manner fool you. It can hide a monster beneath. But I agree the manner of death would seem to indicate someone else."

Merlin had wondered for some time why her sergeant had left his old employment in Cornwall to come to this relatively quiet county. She had done her best not to question him, but this odd behaviour was testing her patience. She hated not being in the know.

"Why did you take this job?" Merlin blurted our, unable to stop herself. "You got it because you were the most qualified, you were almost too qualified in fact. I would have expected you to be applying for promotion."

Ban continued to examine his fingernails as Merlin talked but at the mention of promotion he looked down at her keenly. "I lost my mum recently," he said after a long pause. "I wanted to get away from the memories. This place seemed as good as any. She was never happy…"

Merlin's cautious expression changed to one of sympathy as she saw the genuine pain in Ban's face. Knowing that she should apologise, Merlin sashayed over to the window and looked out, determined to get Ban's mind back on the case. Meanwhile Ban collected himself and telephoned the coroner, making arrangements for the body to be removed, and for a junior police officer to stay with the corpse in the meantime. An autopsy would need to be carried out to confirm the doctor's assessment, but in this case the findings were a mere formality. As he finished the call, Merlin called Ban over and he made his way towards her with long, easy strides.

In response to Merlin's silent gesture, Ban stuck his head out of the window, twisting his neck round to look upwards. With a gasp of surprise, Ban made out the shape of a coil of rope, a strand of which snaked limply over the edge of the roof almost directly above him.

"I begin to see a solution," Merlin said with glee, her smile one of wicked delight as it always was when she was making progress with a case. Eyes flashing with triumph, Merlin swept from the room, Ban lolloping quickly behind to keep up.


	4. Who Done It?

**Chapter 4: Who Done It?**

"Let me get this straight, you and Meliodas were in the room together until you heard screaming," Ban drawled, pretending to examine his fingernails in his boredom. Zeldris rose to the bait and visibly seethed as Ban flicked a small flake of dry skin away. He obviously did not enjoy the implied disrespect.

"As I said, we were having a private discussion. We went to help our father as soon as we became aware something was amiss." Zeldris eyes shone with fire as he glared at Ban, his fingers drumming on the table in his irritation.

"So, what was the fight about?" Merlin asked sweetly as she told behind Ban, observing the suspect closely as he dealt with the sergeant's questions.

"What? None of your business," Zeldris shot back. "Just a personal disagreement."

"Come on, it must have been something pretty bad. One of you smashed a vase. Which of you by the way?" Merlin enquired as she gracefully took a seat next to Ban, leaning in towards Zeldris as she did so, her fingers steepled into a narrow triangle.

Zeldris' scowl deepened as he glowered at the Inspector. "It was me, if you must know. I shouldn't have lost my temper, but Meliodas has a habit of being extremely annoying. He has been since we were children."

"Oh? Do tell me about it. I'm an only child myself, so missed all of these sorts of interesting interactions," Merlin said lightly, her eyes staying fixed on her suspect.

"Nothing specific, we are just very different people. Meliodas is weak, he has no concept of hard work or ambition."

"I thought at one point you were both training to be professional sportsmen. That's what your brother told me. Should have given you enough to talk about," Ban fluted, his eyes lazily swinging round to fix on Zeldris. "You both have the same talent."

"Not at all!" Zeldris protested, his eyes flashing a warning. "We did both play tennis seriously when we were younger but we did not have the height for it. I gave it up to concentrate on leading this country to a brighter future, Meliodas gave it up to chase women. Utter indolence! Still, he had nothing special, apart from a fierce backhander so his retirement was no loss for the nation."

"Tell us about what happened today. What did you fight about?" Merlin persisted as she pressed the tips of her fingers together. Zeldris stayed silent, his eyes dropping down to the table in the small study Merlin had commandeered as an interview room. It was the first time he had broken eye contact since the start of the interrogation.

"Your fiancée said that your father attacked her. That must have concerned you, must it not?" Merlin needled, watching Zeldris' face work into a fury with amusement as Ban made rapid notes. "Rumour is Lady Gelda is no stranger to violence. How did it feel knowing you had failed to protect her again?"

Zeldris shot up from his chair, his eyes wild with fury. "How dare you speak to me like that! I'll get you fired for this!"

"Your brother was equally tight-lipped on the subject but I could tell it was something to do with Lady Gelda. This is a murder enquiry. You would do well to tell us what happened," Merlin said pointedly.

Zeldris sank back down, rubbing his fingers through his dark hair. His face worked visibly and Merlin bit her lip to stop herself from filling the silence. Her efforts were rewarded as Zeldris finally met her gaze, a look of determination in his fiery eyes. "Fine. If you really want to know, Meliodas dared to say it was odd that Gelda had been attacked after what he had read in the press. He even suggested she was hysterical. I could have killed him!" At this, Ban raised an eyebrow and Merlin chuckled inwardly. Did the man not know to be careful when giving evidence in a murder enquiry?

"Gelda is no liar!" Zeldris practically yelled, his temper at breaking point. "She has been through enough without that deplorable slander! And I was on edge anyway. As you say, I should have..." Zeldris broke off, swallowing pitifully. "I should never have left her alone," he continued, his voice breaking slightly with unchecked emotion. "I promised her I would never let anything like that happen to her again. I just... I never dreamed father would do something like that."

"So the rumours are true? Her brother attacked her?" Merlin asked carefully, making herself maintain an imperious countenance. She did not want Zeldris to know how interested she was in his answer.

"Oh yes. Orlondi is a vile piece of shit. I would have beaten him to a pulp but Gelda begged me not to. She didn't want me to damage my career, as if I care about that! I would give up everything for her!" Zeldris snarled forcefully, then took several deep breaths. The product of effective media training Ban considered. As a public face, Zeldris had no doubt worked hard to control how he came across.

When he spoke again, he forced himself to continue in a more muted tone. "Her family covered it up well enough. I only let it go on the condition that Gelda come with me immediately and that she never had to see them again, unless she wanted to of course. I am pleased to say she has shown no interest in doing so. They do not deserve her."

"So why are you so pally with your brother all of a sudden?" Ban mused languidly. "When I arrived you two looked pretty close to me."

"Oh come on! Meliodas is an idiot but he was extremely shaken up, naturally enough in my opinion. I would have to be pretty brutal not to do my best to support him. He has apologised profusely for his disgusting suggestion and in the circumstances I can be charitable." Zeldris looked triumphantly at the police officers, rising abruptly to his feet. "Now, unless you have more questions I need to get back to my family."

"An interesting character," Merlin said, one thin eyebrow raised after Zeldris had left the room. "What did you make of him?"

"A lot of anger not so far beneath the surface," Ban surmised as Merlin nodded thoughtfully. "He'd be a dangerous enemy. Who d'you want to see next?"

"The other fiancée, Elizabeth was it? But let's review what the others said first," Merlin said as she brushed a loose strand of hair out of her eyes. "What did you think of them?"

"That Gowther is weird," Ban replied instantly. "I couldn't get a line on him at all."

Flicking through his notebook, Ban decrypted the scribbled shorthand with a practiced ease. "He said he was reading in the attic, head stuck in some book, The Legend Of King Arthur apparently," Ban scoffed, his scepticism evident. "He went up there after Meliodas and the others left him and stayed put until he heard the screams. Then he came down and arrived at the old man's rooms behind everyone else. Seems fishy to me." Ban gave his notebook a look of distaste before closing it with a snap.

"His story was odd certainly, but he does look the type of bury himself in a book," Merlin said thoughtfully. "He probably needs any escape he can get from this life. It was clear from what he was saying that he found his employer difficult. I find it hard to believe though that he could hear the victim screaming when he was in the attic but that he did not the catch the argument between Meliodas and Zeldris."

"I checked that out actually before I brought Monspeet here. I think it's because the victim's window was open. The attic skylight is ajar. If Gowther's telling the truth he could've heard the ruckus that way."

"Good job!" the inspector said appreciatively. "Does that mean he could have climbed down to the study then?"

Merlin and Ban had been up on the roof to investigate the rope they had seen. Together, they had found a coil of yarn attached to a vicious pointed stone, but promising as this was Merlin had demurred. The stone was clean, completely free of anything except a few patches of pale green lichen and it had evidently not been used as a weapon.

The wall itself however had proven promising enough. The mortar between the bricks had crumbled and there were enough footholds for a skilled climber to get down from the roof to the old man's window. Ban had disagreed it was possible, daring Merlin to try and, after removing her shoes, she had shown him what for. Ban now owed her as many drinks as she could manage every day for the rest of the year. He'd be broke by Boxing Day.

"I don't think so," Ban said slowly, his eyes glazing over slightly as he recalled the look of the attic. "There's no way Gowther could get out of that skylight. It's tiny. Not even Meliodas could fit through."

"Alright," Merlin agreed as she rubbed her chin, "then tell me about Derieri and Monspeet, what is their game?"

"They've always been slippery and I'm not surprised they said nothing, even when faced with your questioning. It's their usual tactic."

"I see... and your friend Meliodas?"

Ban looked at Merlin coldly, running his tongue over his pointed upper canine. "He's not my friend... but I couldn't see anything wrong with what he said. Nor that girl either." Merlin raised her eyebrows at this. Not the most respectful way to address a bone fide member of the aristocracy.

"Why d'you think Lady Gelda told everyone about the attack rather than saving it for us?" Ban enquired as he scratched his chin. "She struck me as the sort who'd rather die than air dirty laundry in public."

"Perfectly sound question. I asked her that myself while you were getting the jug of water. Lady Gelda said she was aware that the attack gives Zeldris a motive and she decided that being perfectly candid with the information upfront was the best way to protect him."

"I see. I guess that makes sense," Ban murmured as he flicked through his notes, his eyes lighting up as he came to a page with scrawled shorthand spidering across the page. "And on the subject of supposed friends," he sang out, a mischievous light in his crimson eyes, "what's going on with you and that lawyer?"

Merlin actually felt herself blush slightly at this. The victim's lawyer had been something different that was for sure. It was not usual for witnesses in a murder enquiry to start of an interview with a poem, but Escanor had been full of surprises. He was handsome too, Merlin considered before she remembered herself and pushed these thoughts away.

Escanor had given them an account of the phone conversation he had shared with the victim. While admitting his surprise at the sudden set of instructions, Escanor said the change of heart was not necessarily out of character. The old man was one of his most unpleasant clients and frequently moaned about his children.

"Must I remind you who is in charge?" Merlin said with mock indignation as Ban tried to hide his smirk. "You will treat your superior officers with respect. Now, go and fetch Elizabeth."

Ban grinned broadly before he left on his errand, his puckish face almost causing Merlin to laugh out loud but she managed to maintain a professional countenance. As Ban left the room, he thoughts returned to Escanor, and Merlin wondered how quickly she could solve the case so that she could spend some more time with him. After a few moments, Ban returned ushering Elizabeth in ahead of him, breaking Merlin from her pleasant daydream. The inspector examined the girl, noting her careful attire of a knee-length black skirt and white frilly blouse, an outfit too old for her years. Evidently she had dressed so as to try and make a favourable impression with her future father-in-law.

"Please take a seat, Miss Liones," Merlin said with a smile. This girl seemed an innocent babe and careful treatment was indicated. As Merlin started the usual questions, Ban searched the girl's handbag, suddenly snapping up straight after a swift perusal.

"Inspector, can you come here for a minute," Ban interrupted. Merlin raised her eyes in irritation but rose to join him. Her eyebrows flew up into her glossy bangs when Ban showed her the reason for the summons. In silent agreement, both cops returned to the table, Ban taking the lead.

"Miss Liones, are you aware that the victim called the police station to report a theft? He claimed a girl staying at the house had stolen a large number of precious stones. D'you want to explain what these were doing in your handbag?" Ban said with a flourish as the placed a handful of sapphires, rubies and emeralds down on the table. "These are worth a fortune," he said sternly.

"What... are they real?" Elizabeth stuttered, her face colouring pink in her embarrassment as her hands played with the collar of her blouse. "I thought they were glass. They were lying all over the floor in the gentleman's room."

"So, you just picked these up~" Ban murmured slowly as he scrutinised Elizabeth.

"Um... yes... I did," Elizabeth replied. "I... I don't steal. I'd never have taken them if I thought they were valuable. I thought they must have fallen out of a necklace or something and I wanted to keep them safe until they could be returned. I... they just looked too large to be genuine."

Merlin could see what Elizabeth meant. If she were to have found the stones she was not sure she would have come to a different conclusion. They looked fake, too shiny to be anything other than imitation. Ban however apparently knew his stuff. Working in the fraud department in Cornwall, precious stones had probably come within his field of experience.

"These are real alright. I reckon they're worth a hundred thousand pounds. I understand your fiancé's hard up." Ban mused.

"Oh, no we're fine really. We're not on the point of bankruptcy or anything. Meliodas just needs to raise a bit to build The Boar Hat. That's our bar," Elizabeth said proudly. "We're going to run it together. But if that doesn't happen we'll be okay. I just got a job as an interior designer and Meliodas manages a restaurant. Meliodas would never want to build our bar with dirty money anyway. He's too noble for that."

"Tell me about what happened after Meliodas and Zeldris left you," Merlin said kindly. If the facts of the group interview were correct, this poor girl had a cast iron alibi and there was no need to make her uncomfortable about the gems.

"I can't remember a lot of it. I... the whole thing was so horrible. The old gentleman yelled at me and I don't... that kind of thing is... It's not something my family does, shouting. Gelda was really nice and made me feel better. Then we heard Meliodas and Zeldris arguing."

"Could you make out what they were talking about?" Merlin asked.

"Not really. The voices were quite muffled. I thought I heard something about Gelda and how Meliodas had said something offensive. I... it's not like him to upset people, but he's admitted he did. He's really sorry," Elizabeth said, her eyes seeking approval from Merlin. "I, um, don't know what got into him. I've never heard him sound so angry, but he's told me he can get mad sometimes.

Elizabeth paused, a blush creeping into her cheeks as she struggled to continue with her explanation. Merlin, taking pity on the girl, decided to give her a nudge. "Then something smashed," Merlin said kindly as she smiled reassuringly at Elizabeth.

"Yes. I really wanted to help but then the screaming started," Elizabeth continued in a rush as she twisted her fingers together. "We heard Meliodas and Zeldris running and we followed them. They're both pretty fast and we didn't catch up with them until we were outside the door."

Merlin signalled to Elizabeth that she could go, and she rose gratefully. Ban returned her handbag, without the jewels, to her before she left.

"What do you think Ban? Is she telling the truth?" Merlin asked.

"Can't see how it can be a lie, apart from that stuff about Meliodas not minding about the money. He definitely does," Ban remarked.

"I agree. Let's talk to the last brother. He has some explaining to do."

Following Merlin's signal, Ban fetched Estarossa, who slumped into the chair with a very ill grace and stared coldly at the two police officers.

"What d'you want to ask me? I told you everything and I'm not going to say anything more." Estarossa folded his arms across his chest, glowering menacingly.

"That's too bad. Monspeet and Derieri are really bad at this game. They will sing like canaries, but if you want to go down for it while they get a deal that's fine with me," Ban sang, making a great show of closing his notebook.

"I agree. We should conduct this interview down at the station," Merlin added, her amber eyes hard. "Sergeant Ban, please escort Estarossa to the car."

"A nice trick, but it won't work. Not a high card there." Estarossa leaned back in his chair, arms behind his head, a slight smile curving over his face as he innocently returned Merlin's stare.

Despite herself, Merlin was impressed. It was not often suspects called her bluff. But Estarossa was not quite right, she did have one trick to play. "You know, Escanor told me something interesting. He said when he called your father earlier today, there was a slight click at the start of the conversation, almost like someone was tapping the line." Merlin gazed at Estarossa intently, studying his face with great care. "I thought nothing of it at first, but then I remembered how unsurprised you all were to find out that your father was planning to disinherit you. Meliodas knew of course because your father told him, and he shared the information with Zeldris. But how did you find out exactly?"

Merlin returned Estarossa's cold scrutiny and was delighted to see a slight press to his lips. He was rattled.

"I had a look in the drawing room earlier," Merlin continued, her gaze never wavering as Ban scratched his pen over his notebook. "There is a phone there, an old fashioned one. I'm going to bet we will find your fingerprints on it. And don't say they would be there as a matter of course. You hardly ever come here and this house is spotless. It is evidently cleaned very thoroughly between visits."

Estarossa was silent as he looked down at the polished mahogany table, drumming his fingers on his knees. "Alright, I admit it," he said sullenly. "I listened in, and it was not pleasant hearing. I do need the money, as you'll not doubt find out. I'm broke. I was hoping the old man would give me a bit to tide me over until my art takes off, but between them my brothers scuppered my chances."

"So is that when you planned it? The murder I mean," Ban asked, an evil grin creeping over his face. "Don't tell me you were just going to take the decision without a fight."

"No, I was not," Estarossa said calmly, shooting a look of disgust in Ban's direction. "I was going to get it out of the con artists. My father made it clear he suspected them, and I thought a spot of bribery might get me out of danger. It's a crime, I know, but I really needed that money and it wasn't theirs anyway. They stole it."

"I see..." Merlin said thoughtfully. "So what were you doing outside then?"

"Having a smoke," Estarossa said defiantly as he stared at the police officers in turn. "It's a stressful business trying to get cash out of crooks. I held my nerve with them but I was properly rattled. Gowther hates the smell of cigarettes and even though I was mad at him, I did know it wasn't his fault. Plus, I thought I might be able to convince him to share the cash with all three of us, and I wanted to stay in his good books. So, freezing as it was, I went outside."

"That actually makes sense," Merlin said to Ban after Estarossa had left them. "Too bad it's a lie. I think I know what happened. Let's go and deliver our conclusions." Grinning to each other the two police officers set off towards Gowther's study, their steps light with confidence.

* * *

"You know, I think this is the first locked room mystery of my career, and it's been an enjoyable experience. The criminals in this case have been clever. I applaud you. But justice will always prevail. Ban and I know what happened," Merlin said smoothly.

She took in the array of faces in front of her. A few of the suspects shot suspicious looks around at the others but most showed their nerves in less obvious ways. Elizabeth was pulling at her skirt so it covered as much of her legs as possible, while Zeldris clenched his fists at his sides. Meliodas looked the most affected. He was sitting with his head in his hands, a picture of abject misery. Only Gowther did nothing. He sat as still as a statue, gazing directly into Merlin's eyes.

"Lady Gelda and Elizabeth, your alibis are rock solid; and Meliodas and Zeldris, you were together too. I did think all four of you might have been colluding, but I eventually dismissed it. The timing doesn't work," Merlin said breezily as she looked at the four people she had exonerated, giving Elizabeth a motherly smile. "And Gowther, I believe you were in the attic as you said. There is no evidence that you were involved and, of course you had no motive. Escanor, you were not here when the murder was committed and are not really a suspect." At this last remark, Escanor looked up at Merlin, who found herself weak-kneed to be the subject of such an intense, loving gaze.

"That leaves you three," Merlin quavered as she collected herself. She caught Ban's smirk before turning towards Monspeet, Derieri and Estarossa, who were all sitting together on one side of the room. Derieri stared hard at Merlin and if looks could kill Merlin was quite sure she would have withered into ash.

"Now, protest as you will, you did have a plan to kill. Indeed, I know what it was. Derieri was up on the roof with a makeshift weapon, a stone tied to a rope. Estarossa was stationed in the garden below, with some pebbles to chuck at the window. This would attract the old man's attention and he would come to investigate, opening the window to see better. At this point, Derieri would drop the stone down on the victim, pulling it back up after he was dead. Monspeet would then go in and stage the scene, dragging the corpse into the middle of the room and locking the door from the outside. All the keys fit these locks and it would have been easy to do.

"But something went wrong, didn't it Derieri, and that is this: your plan was idiotic. You would never have been able to make sure that the stone would land in exactly the right place, or that your victim would have leant far enough out to give you a good angle of attack. The book that trick is borrowed from, which I have read by the way, is seriously flawed. You realised this as you stood there, trying to work out how to make your move and you sensibly decided to try another approach.

"You climbed down to the window, which I have shown is perfectly possible, and killed him with the golf club you found in his room. Then, you locked the door from the inside so as to protect Monspeet from suspicion and made your way back up, leaving the window open behind you. It would likely have been put down as an outside job if Ban hadn't been on his way to investigate a theft, showing that no one left the Manor."

Derieri stood stock still, her eyes wild as she gaped at Merlin, for once too shocked to speak.

"So, all three of you are under arrest. Ban, escort our prisoners to the station."

"No!" Meliodas yelled, suddenly animated, jumping up and running towards Estarossa as Ban took a step forwards. Eyes hard and fists clenched at his sides, Meliodas placed himself between his brother and the two police officers. "You can't! Estarossa has done nothing!" he yelled. Estarossa stood stock still, his shoulders tense and his mouth open slightly like a dumb fish as he stared down at his brother.

"I agree, your deductions are not correct," a flat voice intoned, interrupting Merlin as she started to respond. She twisted round to see Gowther on his feet, the light flashing across the lenses of his glasses to obscure his expression. "I am the one you want," added the secretary.

Merlin gasped in astonishment as the eyes of all the other people in the room swung towards Gowther. "What? But that doesn't make any sense. Why would you kill him?"

Elizabeth stared at him, her eyes showing her fear as she ran across the room to Meliodas, who wrapped his arms round her waist. "You're the only one who doesn't gain from his death," Merlin said, incredulity sounding in every syllable. "You are now out of a job and if your employer had lived just a few hours more you would have inherited his fortune."

"I must say, Derieri can't have done it though boss." Ban leaned over to whisper into Merlin's ear. "She's a villain alright, but she's left-handed. Look at her muscles, they're much bigger on that side." Merlin shot a quick look at Derieri, who was caught in Monspeet's tight embrace, confirming Ban's ingenious assessment.

"It may appear contrary to my interests to have killed him, but you do not know what he was like. Working for him was not easy," Gowther said flatly, his voice completely expressionless, as if he had long since been stripped of all true feeling. "My employer's interests did not stop at young ladies."

"Gowther! What the hell are you saying?" Meliodas gasped, his green eyes frantic with worry. Zeldris and Estarossa caught each other's eyes in amazement. "Don't do this! Please!" Meliodas groaned.

"He took advantage of me, Meliodas," Gowther said bluntly. "It was only once. I was not sufficient for him. After me his attention moved on to other youngsters. It was my task to lure them here, and to make financial arrangements so that they would not complain.

"I begged him to stop," Gowther added as he looked down at the floor, "but he threatened to fire me if I said anything to the police and I had nowhere else to go. And I did not want to hurt you," Gowther said flatly as he looked at Meliodas who returned his gaze as tears formed in his eyes. "I knew you would be upset if you found out. So I told myself that the young people were not in real danger and that everything that occurred was consensual. But I knew deep down that this was not so.

"I was not reading in the attic," Gowther continued as he turned towards Zeldris and Gelda, who were holding hands, their eyes wide in amazement. "My employer had been talking about you a lot Lady Gelda, and I knew you were at risk. I should have said something, but I was too ashamed. So I followed you. I hoped I could cause an interruption but by the time I got there it was too late. I heard everything. I am sorry. I should have warned you."

"Gowther, please don't say any more," Meliodas groaned quietly. "You can't go to prison..."

"I need to do this." Gowther looked at Meliodas the ghost of a smile on his face.

"No, Meliodas is right. Keep quiet! You had nothing to do with this," Zeldris commanded as he stood up and stepped forwards, placing Gelda behind him.

"I must. This is the only way. You will want to know how I did it," Gowther said, turning to Merlin, who still looked flabbergasted as Ban made rapid notes. "It was easy. I went in with some papers and struck him with one of the golf clubs. Then I locked the door from the inside and climbed out of the window. The ivy is strong and it was not difficult to get down. Then I went back into the house and ran up the stairs behind Monspeet. I thought the death would be put it down to an outsider. My employer had a lot of enemies."

"Why didn't Estarossa see you then?" Merlin asked sharply. "He was outside at the time."

"With his back to me, smoking a cigarette. He was not watching the house," Gowther said steadily as he looked at Estarossa, who stared back at the secretary with incredulity, before his face relaxed and his expression softened.

"Gowther... we're gonna get you out of this. He was an awful man and you did the world a favour. If I'd known he'd hurt you I'd have killed him myself, years ago. We will make sure you're well defended," Estarossa said, moving towards Gowther as if to hug him, before thinking better of it and instead tapping the secretary on the chest.

"Indeed. If it is agreeable to the inspection I'll come with you now, Gowther, until a criminal law expert can take my place. Please don't say anything more until then," Escanor suggested, receiving a nod from Merlin, along with what Ban could have sworn was a seductive smile.

"Get the best, Escanor, spare no expense. I will pay whatever it takes," Zeldris said as he tapped his fist on Gowther's shoulder. "We will make this right."

"Do not worry, Meliodas. This is the right thing to do. Trust me," Gowther said as Meliodas looked at him, the hesitation in his eyes plain to see. After a curt nod, Meliodas walked up to Gowther and squeezed him tight.

"I'm going to fix this Gowther, I promise," Meliodas said, his voice breaking slightly as he suppressed tears. Elizabeth moved behind Meliodas as he broke apart from Gowther, wrapping her arms around his chest. Relaxing in her hold, Meliodas took Elizabeth's hands in his own, but still stared at Gowther with concern.

"You already did. My life would have been unbearable if it were not for you. I love you. All of you. Be happy." Gowther cocked his head to one side, making a sideways peace sign to the room. Merlin looked at him sadly, before leading him away gently, Escanor walking by her side. Ban followed, a strong hand on each of Derieri and Monspeet, guiding them firmly out of the room.

"I'll be back up soon, just need a few bits more for the paperwork. Meliodas, wait for me here would ya?" Ban asked, his head poking back round the door. Receiving a nod from Meliodas, Ban led the criminals away, pleased to have finally caught the persistent forgers.

* * *

Meliodas waited patiently for Ban in Gowther's study. The others had all left, Zeldris giving him an unexpectedly warm hug before they all departed. Despite the fuzzy feeling this had brought, Meliodas still felt dejected. How could be possibly have allowed this to happen.

"Thanks for waiting. I wanna run some things by you," Ban sang as he strode back into the room, closing the door behind him. "I know all that was shit, so you wanna tell me what really happened?"

"But... Wait, what are you talking about?" Meliodas began as he stared at Ban with wide green eyes.

"It's simple really. I know you did it, and I know why, but if I'm honest I don't know how. I was hoping you could tell me," Ban said amiably as he took a seat beside Meliodas. "I'll never guess on my own."

"How did you figure it out?" Meliodas asked harshly, his hands clenched on his knees as Ban grinned broadly.

"Easy. You've been behaving completely out of character since I got here, and before from what I can tell. There's no way you'd say Gelda was hysterical and even if you did your brother would never, ever forgive you. Elizabeth is right, you don't shout. That whole argument's a complete mess of lies.

"Your brother also let something interesting slip when he was talking to us earlier," Ban drawled lazily as he gave Meliodas a piercing stare. "You told me you played tennis when we were down the pub, but you didn't mention you had a powerful backhand hit. That's how you killed him isn't it? You hit him backhanded."

"Yeah... it was... it felt really good at the time. It was such a rush and he deserved it, you know? I didn't know about Gowther, but what he did to Gelda was bad enough. But I felt awful looking at his dead body. I shouldn't have done it," Meliodas lamented as he held his head in his hands. "This is so wrong. I need to hold my hand up. Come on, let's go get Gowther out. I'll give you everything you need to put me away."

"Not so fast," Ban warned. "You said nothing because of who else it implicates, remember? That's why you killed him in the first place, right? To protect your youngest brother."

Meliodas slumped further into the chair he was sitting in, his face pale as snow. "Yes. He would have killed him if I hadn't. He asked for my help. He loves Gelda, you see. But I knew... if Zeldris ever lets that side of himself go he'll never stop. I had to come up with a way to protect him, so we used his plan, just swapping places." Meliodas glanced up a Ban, sorrow etched on his face. "But I messed up so bad. I'd no idea I'd put Gowther in danger. I can't just…"

"Tell me how you did it. What was the plan," Ban asked stoically, showing no emotion as he stared blankly at Meliodas.

"It was easy really. Zeldris pretended to be both of us. He must have sounded pretty convincing too. We always did have similar voices and he's had media training so he's pretty good at controlling his voice," Meliodas said glumly, returning Ban's gaze.

"Zeldris gave us both an alibi while I went and... you know. I had to hit him really hard until he made a noise to fix the time of death. The window was a bonus. Father had opened it, he must've been watching out for you I think, and I decided I'd leave it. I thought we could say it was a stranger. I didn't know you were just arriving or that Estarossa was outside. I should have shut it." Ban listened to Meliodas carefully. There was no tremor to his voice and no hesitation. It sounded like he was relieved.

"Then, I got out of the room," Meliodas continued more confidently, getting into the tale. "I locked the door from the outside and waited. Zeldris showed up pretty quick and knelt at the keyhole like we'd planned. He pretended he couldn't see through, but he could of course. I had the key in my hand all the time, and I used it to unlock the door after I punched through the panel."

"Not bad," Ban said approvingly. "You fooled Merlin anyway."

"Only because Estarossa and that nonsense distracted her. Did he really plan all that?"

"Yes. So you saved his hide too, remember that. And, no harm in saying this now, you also saved mine. I was going to kill your old man," Ban said kindly as he let his face soften with a smile.

"What? But why would you want to do that?" Meliodas asked sharply. "I know he was vile but you've only been here a couple of months. What's he done in that time to upset you?"

"Nothing. It's what he did before," Ban explained. "He killed my mum, not directly but he might as well've. After he got her pregnant he just upped and left us. He robbed us too, some of those stones he showed to Gelda were my mum's."

Ban sighed, scratching his head behind his ear. "She had a terrible life, all in. It was a bit of a relief when she killed herself last year. The letter she wrote had enough information for me to track down the man who hurt her so much and I vowed I'd get revenge. That's why I came here, so I could pay him back."

"Are you saying, that we're... He did say something about having other children but I thought he was just trying to be offensive." Meliodas looked Ban over carefully. He didn't look much like him or his brothers. Could it really be true?

"Sorry for telling you like this. As I said, you've done me a solid. Seeing Merlin in action, I'm pretty sure she'd have caught me. My plan was a bit better than Estarossa's but still not too good."

"What was it?" Meliodas asked, allowing his curiosity to get the better of him.

"It's complicated, and you'll need a drink to hear it. I was going to use these to fake the time of death," Ban took a pink balloon out of his pocket, emblazoned with the image of a cute, cartoon pig, and a wooden peg tied to a long piece of string. He gave the objects a derisive glance before throwing them into the waste paper basket. "I'd have been caught for sure, so you've saved me and your brothers today."

"But Gowther! I really can't..." Meliodas protested as he made a move to rise from his seat.

"He'll be fine," Ban said firmly. "I had a quick look at your dad's computer on the way back up here from the car. Gowther's not lying about the abuse. Your old man kept a spreadsheet with names and payoff sums. A couple of the victims are on our missing persons list."

"But, why are you covering for me? I don't understand..." Meliodas frowned as he examined Ban's cold countenance. Ban also stood at this, and glared down at Meliodas as if he were furious.

"I like you, yeah? You're great," Ban shot back, a enormous grin suddenly claiming his entire face, as if he had never been so happy in his life. "I always wanted a brother, and you're the best I could've hoped for.

"Really, don't get upset about Gowther," Ban added gently as Meliodas bit his lip with anxiety. "It'll all be alright, I promise. No judge in the land will give him a harsh sentence. This is what he wanted, and you should respect that."

"Come on then. I really don't like this at all, but I guess there's no way out," Meliodas reluctantly agreed. "Zeldris will have it hard if he's prosecuted. The press will eat him alive." Ban held out his hand and helped Meliodas to his feet, pulling him up in one fluid motion as they smiled at each other.

"We need a drink, and to sort out the money," Meliodas said as he returned Ban's smile. Even if they were not really related, Ban's lie was a nice one, and it might even be true. "I'm sure the others will agree to you having your share of the cash, and you can have half of mine if they don't," Meliodas continued. "We'll give you the jewels back for a start. Not a word to the girls though, okay? Elizabeth will never stay with me if she finds out."

"You got an opening for a chef in that bar of yours by any chance? I've always wanted to cook..." Ban said with a grin as the pair went arm in arm out of the door. The clock was striking midnight and they both wanted to find the others so that they could make a toast to Christmas Day with the rest of their family.

* * *

A/N: Thank you for sticking with this story! Christie fans will have recognised that it's based primarily on 'Hercule Poirot's Christmas' with a bit of 'Towards Zero' and 'Murder In Mesopotamia' thrown in. If you've read 'Hercule Poirot's Christmas', you'll recognise the reference to Ban's plan with the Hawk balloon, which has a bearing on the real solution to that case. Zeldris and Meliodas use a method which is hinted at as possible in that book but which is not actually used. I really recommend reading it if you haven't already: it's a lot of fun. Happy Holidays!


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